Goodwin v. Pueblo County District Court

CourtDistrict Court, D. Colorado
DecidedJuly 28, 2025
Docket1:24-cv-00361
StatusUnknown

This text of Goodwin v. Pueblo County District Court (Goodwin v. Pueblo County District Court) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Goodwin v. Pueblo County District Court, (D. Colo. 2025).

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLORADO Judge Nina Y. Wang

Civil Action No. 24-cv-00361-NYW

DANIEL ROGER GOODWIN,

Applicant,

v.

PHILIP J. WEISER, and MOSES STANCIL,

Respondents.

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

Applicant Daniel Roger Goodwin (“Applicant” or “Mr. Goodwin”), has filed (1) an amended Application for a Writ of Habeas Corpus Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254 (the “First Amended Application”), [Doc.23]; (2) a second Amended Application for a Writ of Habeas Corpus Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254 (the “Second Amended Application”), [Doc 43]; and (3) a third amended pleading captioned “Petition For Relief From a Conviction or Sentence by a Person in State Custody” (the “Third Amended Application”),1 [Doc. 54]. Mr. Goodwin challenges the validity of his conviction and sentence in Pueblo County District Court, Case No. 2014CR1287. See, e.g., [Doc. 23 at 2]. Before Mr. Goodwin filed the Third Amended Application, Respondents filed an Answer, [Doc. 44], to the First

1 Applicant initiated this action on February 5, 2024, but was subsequently ordered several times to amend his pleading. See [Doc. 1; Doc. 3; Doc. 8; Doc. 18]. The Amended Application was filed on July 1, 2024. [Doc. 23]. The Second Amended Application was filed on December 2, 2024. [Doc. 43]. The Third Amended Application was filed on April 18, 2025. and Second Amended Applications. After reviewing the record, including the First Amended Application, the Second Amended Application, the Third Amended Application, the Answer, and the state court record, the Court respectfully concludes that Mr. Goodwin is not entitled to relief. BACKGROUND

Mr. Goodwin was convicted by a jury of sexually assaulting his fifteen-year-old grandniece. [Doc. 29 at 2; Doc. 29-4 at 2]. He is serving an indeterminate sentence of eight years to life in the custody of the Colorado Department of Corrections. See [Doc. 29-1 at 4]. Mr. Goodwin asserts nine claims for relief in the First Amended Application. See generally [Doc. 39]. In an order entered on October 24, 2024 (“October 24 Order”), the Court dismissed eight of the claims. See [Doc. 39]. The Court also ordered Respondents to file an Answer that fully addresses the merits of the remaining claim— claim 4 in the First Amended Application—in which Mr. Goodwin contends the

prosecution failed to disclose a police report in a timely manner in violation of his due process rights and Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963). [Id. at 14]. The police report in question was prepared by an officer who tested a swab of a section of the victim’s mattress for seminal fluid, the results of which were negative. See [Doc. 29-4 at 4–5]. The Court’s October 24 Order also addressed Mr. Goodwin’s Motion to Expand the Record. See [Doc. 38]. The Court construed the Motion to Expand the Record as a Motion to Amend and directed Respondents to respond in their Answer to any new arguments Mr. Goodwin raised in the motion. [Doc. 39 at 14]. Mr. Goodwin then filed another Amended Application for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 2 (the “Second Amended Application”). [Doc. 43]. The specific claims Mr. Goodwin asserts in the Second Amended Application are difficult to discern. Mr. Goodwin reiterates his Brady claim premised on the failure to timely disclose a police report from the officer who tested a swab of the victim’s mattress for seminal fluid. [Id. at 4–5]. According to Respondents, Mr. Goodwin also raises a new claim in the Second Amended

Application, contending his right to due process was violated by the prosecution’s failure to preserve the mattress swab referenced in the police report. [Doc. 44 at 3]; see also [Doc. 43 at 4–5]. Mr. Goodwin does not dispute that characterization of the Second Amended Application and, construed liberally, the Court agrees with that characterization of Mr. Goodwin’s new claim. Respondents filed the Answer shortly after Mr. Goodwin filed the Second Amended Application. On February 3, 2025, the Court ordered Respondents to serve another copy of the Answer on Mr. Goodwin, and Mr. Goodwin was advised that he may file a reply to the Answer within thirty days of service. [Doc. 49]. On February 4, 2025, Respondents

filed a Certificate of Service, [Doc. 50], indicating a second copy of the Answer was mailed to Mr. Goodwin that day. Mr. Goodwin did not file a reply within the time allowed. He did initiate a new habeas corpus action challenging the same conviction, raising claims that are substantially similar to the claims in the Second Amended Application. See Goodwin v. Weiser, No. 25-cv-00693-LTB (D. Colo. Mar. 3, 2025), Dkt. No. 1. Mr. Goodwin also asked this Court to consider the pleading filed in the new action. See [Doc. 51]. This Court declined to do so, in part because Mr. Goodwin’s claims in the new action are substantially similar to the claims in the Second Amended Application. See [Doc. 52]. 3 On April 11, 2025, the new action was dismissed without prejudice pursuant to Mr. Goodwin’s notice of voluntary dismissal. Goodwin v. Weiser, No. 25-cv-00693-LTB (D. Colo. Apr. 11, 2025), Dkt. No. 5. A week later, Mr. Goodwin filed another petition (the “Third Amended Application”) in this case. [Doc. 54]. The Third Amended Application raises the same claims Mr. Goodwin raised in the new action, which are substantially

similar to his claims in the Second Amended Application.2 Compare [Doc. 43 at 4–5], with [Doc. 54 at 15–16]. As it stands, two claims remain before the Court in this action. First, Mr. Goodwin asserts a Brady claim in which he contends the prosecution failed to disclose a police report in a timely manner. Second, Mr. Goodwin asserts a related due process claim in which he contends the prosecution failed to preserve the mattress swab referenced in the police report. Additional facts pertinent to these claims are set forth below. STANDARDS OF REVIEW The Court must construe the papers filed by Mr. Goodwin liberally because he is

not represented by an attorney. See Haines v. Kerner, 404 U.S. 519, 520–21 (1972); Hall v. Bellmon, 935 F.2d 1106, 1110 (10th Cir. 1991). But the Court cannot and does not act as an advocate for a pro se litigant. See Hall, 935 F.2d at 1110. Title 28 U.S.C. § 2254(d) provides that a writ of habeas corpus may not be issued

2 Generally, an applicant must obtain permission from the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (“Tenth Circuit”) before filing a second or successive application for a writ of habeas corpus. 28 U.S.C. § 2244(3)(A). A district court lacks jurisdiction over a second or successive application filed without such permission. See Berryhill v. Evans, 466 F.3d 934, 938 (10th Cir. 2006). Here, because the claims included in the Second and Third Amended Applications are substantially the same, this Court does not construe the Third Amended Application as a second or successive application for a writ of habeas corpus. 4 with respect to any claim that was adjudicated on the merits in state court unless the state court adjudication: (1) resulted in a decision that was contrary to, or involved an unreasonable application of, clearly established Federal law, as determined by the Supreme Court of the United States; or

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Beard v. Kindler
558 U.S. 53 (Supreme Court, 2009)
Brady v. Maryland
373 U.S. 83 (Supreme Court, 1963)
Haines v. Kerner
404 U.S. 519 (Supreme Court, 1972)
United States v. Agurs
427 U.S. 97 (Supreme Court, 1976)
Castille v. Peoples
489 U.S. 346 (Supreme Court, 1989)
Coleman v. Thompson
501 U.S. 722 (Supreme Court, 1991)
Kyles v. Whitley
514 U.S. 419 (Supreme Court, 1995)
Wood v. Bartholomew
516 U.S. 1 (Supreme Court, 1995)
O'Sullivan v. Boerckel
526 U.S. 838 (Supreme Court, 1999)
Strickler v. Greene
527 U.S. 263 (Supreme Court, 1999)
Banks v. Dretke
540 U.S. 668 (Supreme Court, 2004)
Williams v. Taylor
529 U.S. 362 (Supreme Court, 2000)
House v. Hatch
527 F.3d 1010 (Tenth Circuit, 2008)
Douglas v. Workman
560 F.3d 1156 (Tenth Circuit, 2009)
Harrington v. Richter
131 S. Ct. 770 (Supreme Court, 2011)
Hall v. Bellmon
935 F.2d 1106 (Tenth Circuit, 1991)
Greene v. Fisher
132 S. Ct. 38 (Supreme Court, 2011)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
Goodwin v. Pueblo County District Court, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/goodwin-v-pueblo-county-district-court-cod-2025.