F I L E D
United States Court of Appeals
Tenth Circuit
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
DEC 8 1997
TENTH CIRCUIT
PATRICK FISHER
Clerk
DAVID RHODES,
Petitioner-Appellant,
No. 97-3191
v.
(D.C. No. 97-CV-3133)
(D. Kan.)
PAGE TRUE, Warden, USP -
Leavenworth,
Respondent-Aappellee.
ORDER AND JUDGMENT *
Before BRORBY, EBEL and KELLY, Circuit Judges.
After examining the briefs and appellate record, this panel has determined
unanimously that oral argument would not materially assist the determination of
this appeal. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a); 10th Cir. R. 34.1.9. The case is therefore
ordered submitted without oral argument.
*
This order and judgment is not binding precedent except under the
doctrines of law of the case, res judicata and collateral estoppel. The court
generally disfavors the citation of orders and judgments; nevertheless, an order
and judgment may be cited under the terms and conditions of 10th Cir. R. 36.3.
Petitioner David Rhodes, an inmate at the United States Penitentiary,
Leavenworth, Kansas, appearing pro se, brought a habeas corpus petition under
28 U.S.C. § 2241, alleging he received ineffective assistance of counsel during
criminal proceedings conducted in the United States District Court for the District
of Nevada and was erroneously denied an evidentiary hearing related to that
claim. The United States District Court for the District of Kansas dismissed the
petition, holding that Mr. Rhodes was abusing the writ by raising the same issues
he unsuccessfully asserted in previous 28 U.S.C. § 2255 actions. Mr. Rhodes now
appeals and we affirm.
Mr. Rhodes was convicted on various drug related charges and the
conviction was affirmed by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. See United States
v. Rhodes, 782 F.2d 1055 (No. 85-1105) (9th Cir. Jan 15, 1986) (unpublished
decision). Mr. Rhodes then filed his first motion under § 2255. Mr. Rhodes
alleged he was denied effective assistance of counsel because his attorney failed
to secure the presence of a defense witness, purported co-conspirator Stanley
Donaldson, and allegedly made detrimental admissions in oral argument. The
district court denied both Mr. Rhodes motion and his request for an evidentiary
hearing on the ineffectiveness of counsel claims. The Ninth Circuit affirmed.
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See United States v. Rhodes, 782 F.2d 1055 (No. 86-2961) (9th Cir. July 28,
1988) (unpublished decision).
In his second motion under 28 U.S.C. § 2255, Mr. Rhodes alleged
prosecutorial misconduct based on the government's alleged failure to disclose
information related to the Rule 35 motions for reduction of sentence made by
certain witnesses for the prosecution. He further claimed the district court erred
at his trial by refusing to admit into evidence an out-of-court statement by Stanley
Donaldson. 1 The district court denied Mr. Rhodes' motion and the Ninth Circuit
affirmed. See United States v. Rhodes, 959 F.2d 243 (No. 90-15118) (9th Cir.
Apr. 9, 1992) (unpublished decision).
In his third motion under § 2255, Mr. Rhodes again raised the issue of his
trial counsel's admissions in closing argument and failure to call Stanley
Donaldson as a witness. Conceding these issues had been raised in his earlier
motions, Mr. Rhodes contended they were never adjudicated. The district court
dismissed his motion as successive and an abuse of the writ, and the Ninth Circuit
1
In his first § 2255 motion, Mr. Rhodes alleged his attorney provided
ineffective assistance by failing to take appropriate steps to subpoena this same
co-conspirator.
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affirmed. See United States v. Rhodes, 21 F.3d 1115 (No. 93-16798) (9th Cir.
Mar. 29, 1994) (unpublished decision).
Mr. Rhodes then petitioned the district court pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241,
alleging the § 2255 remedy was inadequate. Mr. Rhodes reiterated his claim of
ineffective assistance of counsel, his request for an evidentiary hearing, and his
allegation that his § 2255 motions were not determined on the merits. The district
court rejected Mr. Rhodes' argument and dismissed the petition, concluding the
§ 2241 action was merely an improper attempt by Mr. Rhodes to obtain further
review of previously adjudicated claims.
We review the district court's dismissal of Mr. Rhodes' habeas corpus
petition de novo. Bradshaw v. Story, 86 F.3d 164, 166 (10th Cir. 1996). A
habeas corpus petition pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2241 is not intended as an
additional, alternative, or supplemental remedy to that afforded by 28 U.S.C.
§ 2255. Williams v. United States, 323 F.2d 672, 673 (10th Cir. 1963), cert.
denied, 377 U.S. 980 (1964). For federal inmates like Mr. Rhodes, the § 2255
remedy "supplants habeas corpus, unless it is shown to be inadequate or
ineffective to test the legality of the prisoner's detention." Id.
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Mr. Rhodes failure to obtain relief through a series of § 2255 motions in
and of itself does not establish the inadequacy or ineffectiveness of the remedy.
See id. Contrary to Mr. Rhodes assertions, the record demonstrates the claims
contained in his § 2255 motions have been fully and fairly adjudicated on the
merits. Thus, Mr. Rhodes cannot bring this action pursuant to § 2241 because he
has failed to demonstrate that § 2255 is inadequate to test the legality of his
detention.
Accordingly, we AFFIRM the dismissal of the petition.
Entered for the Court
WADE BRORBY
United States Circuit Judge
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