FILED
NOT FOR PUBLICATION APR 03 2012
MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS U .S. C O U R T OF APPE ALS
FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT
ALLAN TRACY GILMORE, No. 11-55088
Petitioner - Appellant, D.C. No. 3:07-cv-01823-DMS-
JMA
v.
DEBRA DEXTER, Warden and BILL MEMORANDUM *
LOCKYER, Attorney General,
Respondents - Appellees.
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Southern District of California
Dana M. Sabraw, District Judge, Presiding
Argued and submitted March 7, 2012
Pasadena, California
Before: THOMAS, WARDLAW, and BERZON, Circuit Judges.
Allan Tracy Gilmore appeals the district court’s denial of his petition for a
writ of habeas corpus. We affirm. Because the parties are familiar with the factual
and procedural history of the case, we need not recount it here in detail.
*
This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent
except as provided by 9th Cir. R. 36-3.
I
The California Court of Appeal’s adjudication of Gilmore’s claim resulted in
a decision that was based on an unreasonable determination of the facts in light of
the evidence presented in the State court proceeding. 28 U.S.C. § 2254(d)(2);
Harrington v. Richter, 562 U.S. __, 131 S. Ct. 770, 783-84 (2011). The Court of
Appeal denied relief on Gilmore’s claim of ineffective assistance of counsel
because the court determined that Gilmore had failed to submit any evidence with
his claim and relied only on conclusory allegations. However, Gilmore did in fact
tender a substantial amount of evidence with his State petition, none of which was
mentioned by the Court of Appeal. Given the record actually before the State
Court of Appeal, its conclusion was unreasonable under § 2254(d)(2).
Moreover, although Gilmore had diligently developed his ineffective
assistance of counsel claim in the State court proceedings, the Court of Appeal’s
unreasonable evaluation of the facts caused it to reject Gilmore’s request for an
evidentiary hearing. Because Gilmore demonstrated the necessary diligence by
requesting an evidentiary hearing before the state post-conviction relief court, 28
U.S.C. § 2254(e)(2) did not bar the federal court from ordering an evidentiary
hearing. See James v. Ryan, ___ F.3d ___, 2012 WL 639292, at *21 (9th Cir.
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2012). The federal district court was therefore justified in ordering a full
evidentiary hearing on Gilmore’s ineffective assistance of counsel claim
After hearing extensive testimony, the magistrate judge resolved the
credibility issues in favor of Gilmore’s counsel and against Gilmore. The
magistrate judge concluded that Gilmore’s attorney had relied upon Gilmore’s
representations as to his juvenile criminal history and the prosecutor’s
representation that she was unaware of any substantial juvenile criminal history.
Given all of the circumstances, including the temporal exigencies surrounding the
plea negotiations, the magistrate judge concluded that Gilmore had not overcome
the “strong presumption” that defense counsel’s conduct fell “within the wide
range of reasonable professional assistance.” Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S.
668, 689 (1984); see also Premo v. Moore, 562 U.S. __ , 131 S. Ct. 733, 741-42
(2011).
On a close review of the record, we see no reversible error in the district
court’s decision to adopt the magistrate judge’s determination that Gilmore’s
ineffective assistance of counsel claim should fail. We also conclude that the
district court did not abuse its discretion in declining to admit evidence of
counsel’s interactions with previous clients.
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II
The district court did not err in determining that Gilmore’s plea was
knowing and voluntary. The State trial judge and Gilmore engaged in a thorough
plea colloquy. The trial judge repeatedly informed Gilmore about the maximum
possible sentence he was facing by pleading guilty and, under oath, Gilmore
repeatedly stated that he understood the terms of his plea agreement. Gilmore
further represented that he was entering into his plea “freely and voluntarily,” and
the State court so found. In the collateral proceeding now before us, Gilmore’s
representations and the trial judge’s findings constitute a “formidable barrier” to
relief that Gilmore does not overcome. Blackledge v. Allison, 431 U.S. 63, 73-74
(1977). The fact that Gilmore received a greater sentence than he hoped he would
does not render his plea unknowing or involuntary. Brady v. United States, 397
U.S. 742, 757-58 (1970).
AFFIRMED.
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