F I L E D
United States Court of Appeals
Tenth Circuit
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
JAN 4 2002
TENTH CIRCUIT
PATRICK FISHER
Clerk
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
No. 01-6160
v. (Western District of Oklahoma)
(D.C. No. 00-CV-2058-T)
JOSE SOCORRO ALVAREZ,
Defendant-Appellant.
ORDER AND JUDGMENT *
Before HENRY, BRISCOE, and MURPHY, 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)(2); 10th Cir. R. 34.1(G). 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This order and judgment is not binding precedent, except under the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.
This case is before the court on Jose Socorro Alvarez’s request for a
certificate of appealability (“COA”). Alvarez seeks a COA so that he can appeal
the district court’s denial of his 28 U.S.C. § 2255 motion. See 28 U.S.C. §
2253(c)(1)(B) (providing that no appeal may be taken from a “final order in a
proceeding under section 2255” unless the movant first obtains a COA). Because
Alvarez has not “made a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional
right,” this court denies his request for a COA and dismisses the appeal. See id.
§ 2253(c)(3).
Pursuant to a plea agreement, Alvarez pleaded guilty to possession with
intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to a term of eighty-seven
months in prison. The plea agreement contained a waiver of direct appeal and
collateral attack rights. Alvarez nevertheless filed the instant § 2255 motion
claiming that his counsel had been constitutionally ineffective in several respects.
Relying on this court’s recent decision in United States v. Cockerham, 237 F.3d
1179, 1187 (10th Cir. 2001), the district court concluded that Alvarez had waived
the right to bring all such claims, with the exception of “ineffective assistance of
counsel claims challenging the validity of the plea or the waiver.” Upon
examining the record, the district court concluded that Alvarez had knowingly and
voluntarily pleaded guilty and that he had completely failed to demonstrate that he
-2-
was prejudiced by any of counsel’s actions in negotiating the plea agreement and
waiver of rights.
Alvarez is entitled to a COA only if he can make “a substantial showing of
the denial of a constitutional right.” 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c)(2). He can make this
showing by demonstrating that the issues he raises are debatable among jurists,
that a court could resolve the issues differently, or that the questions presented
deserve further proceedings. See Slack v. McDaniel, 529 U.S. 473, 483-84
(2000). This court has conducted a thorough review of Alvarez’s appellate brief
and request for a COA, the district court order, and the entire appellate record.
That review demonstrates that Alvarez’s conclusory allegations that his attorney
“pressured” him to make an “involuntary” plea are simply insufficient to
overcome his statements in open court during the plea hearing that he was
knowingly and voluntarily executing the guilty plea and waiver of rights. See
Lasiter v. Thomas, 89 F.3d 699, 702 (10th Cir. 1996) (“[R]epresentations of the
defendant . . . as well as any findings made by the judge accepting the plea
constitute a formidable barrier in any subsequent collateral proceedings. Solemn
declarations in open court carry a strong presumption of verity. The subsequent
presentation of conclusory allegations unsupported by specifics is subject to
summary dismissal.” (quotation omitted)). Furthermore, there is absolutely no
evidence in the record indicating that the United States was willing to enter into a
-3-
conditional plea agreement preserving Alvarez’s right to challenge the district
court’s denial of his suppression motion. Nor is there any evidence that Alvarez
would have insisted on going to trial rather than pleading guilty if his counsel had
informed him that course was necessary to preserve the right to appellate review
of the suppression question. Accordingly, this court DENIES Alvarez’s request
for a COA for substantially those reasons set out in the district court’s order
entered March 6, 2001, and DISMISSES the appeal.
ENTERED FOR THE COURT
Michael R. Murphy
Circuit Judge
-4-