141 F.3d 1185
NOTICE: Although citation of unpublished opinions remains unfavored, unpublished opinions may now be cited if the opinion has persuasive value on a material issue, and a copy is attached to the citing document or, if cited in oral argument, copies are furnished to the Court and all parties. See General Order of November 29, 1993, suspending 10th Cir. Rule 36.3 until December 31, 1995, or further order.
Timothy Lee TALBOTT, Petitioner-Appellant,
v.
Jim FERGUSON, Warden, Wyoming State Penitentiary; and the
Wyoming Attorney General, Respondent-Appellee.
No. 97-8091.
United States Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit.
March 4, 1998.
Before BALDOCK, EBEL and MURPHY, Circuit Judges.
ORDER AND JUDGMENT
DAVID M. EBEL, Circuit Judge.
In this appeal of the district court's dismissal of a state prisoner's federal habeas petition under 28 U.S.C. § 2254 (1994), an inmate at the Wyoming State Penitentiary challenges his 20- to 30-year sentence for second-degree murder on the grounds that his conviction was obtained through the use of an illegally obtained confession. Because we conclude that the government's references to this confession during its opening statement in the petitioner's state trial do not constitute clear error, we affirm the dismissal of the petition.
I.
Timothy Lee Talbott, petitioner-appellant, was convicted of second-degree murder for the shooting death of his wife, Betty Jo Talbott. See Talbott v. State, 902 P.2d 719, 720 (Wyo.1995) (affirming Talbott's conviction). Talbott contends that investigators extracted a confession from him during a police station interrogation by improperly relying on statements he had made to police during an interview the day before at a motel. (See R., Doc. # 1, "Petition for a Writ of Habeas Corpus," at 6.) Talbott contends that all of these statements were obtained in violation of his right to counsel because Talbott initially told police during his first contact with them--one day before the police station interrogation--that he wished to deal with investigators "only" through his counsel. (See id.) Talbott contends that all subsequent questioning by police violated the rule in Edwards v. Arizona, 451 U.S. 477, 484-85, 101 S.Ct. 1880, 68 L.Ed.2d 378 (1981), that absent a clear and unambiguous waiver of the right to counsel, police may not reinitiate questioning once a person has invoked his right to counsel. (See R., Doc. # 1, at 6.)
Prior to Talbott's state trial, the trial court rejected Talbott's motion to suppress the statements he made during his police station interview, ruling that these statements were not fruits of any constitutional violation and could be used in the government's case-in-chief. See Talbott, 902 P.2d at 721. However, for reasons that are not apparent in the record, the prosecution did not seek to introduce any evidence of Talbott's incriminating statements during the government's case-in-chief. See id. Indeed, when the prosecution sought to admit the evidence during its rebuttal presentation, the trial court refused to allow the evidence on the grounds that it should have been offered during the case-in-chief. (See R., Doc. # 6, "Answer," Ex. C., at 664-65.)
The only reference to Talbott's "confession" during Talbott's trial came at the very beginning when, in the government's opening statement, the prosecutor repeatedly stressed that the evidence of the defendant's guilt would be provided by the defendant's own words. See Talbott, 902 P.2d at 721-22. Talbott's counsel did not object to these references to Talbott's "confession," and at no time did Talbott's counsel ask for any specific limiting instruction with respect to these comments. See id. at 722. The trial court provided a general limiting instruction before opening statements were given, cautioning jurors that statements by lawyers could not be considered evidence, and this instruction was repeated in the written instructions given to the jury before it retired for deliberations. See id.
Following Talbott's conviction, he filed an appeal with the Wyoming Supreme Court raising three issues, all related to the government's use of Talbott's confession. The court ruled, though, that even if police obtained the confession in violation of Talbott's right to counsel, he suffered no prejudice from this violation because no evidence of the confession was admitted during the trial. See Talbott, 902 P.2d at 721. The Wyoming Supreme Court then went on to address what it described as the "peripheral" issue of the prosecutor's opening statement. See id. The court held that the prosecutor's comments did not constitute reversible error because the prosecutor had a good-faith belief that the evidence of Talbott's confession was available and admissible and also because any error in the comments was cured by the trial court's instructions to the jury. See id. at 722.
Talbott filed this habeas petition on January 17, 1996, contending that his conviction was "obtained by use of illegally obtained statements (confession), in violation of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution...." (R., Doc. # 1, at 6(a).) The magistrate judge who considered Talbott's habeas petition recommended that the district court dismiss the case on the state's motion under Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6) because Talbott had failed to show that the prosecutor's remarks "substantially and injuriously effected [sic] or influenced the jury in determining their verdict against petitioner." (R., Doc. # 12, "Report & Recommendation Dismissing Petitioner's Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus," at 4.) The district court adopted the magistrate judge's recommendations without revision. (See R., Doc. # 14, "Order Adopting Magistrate's Report & Recommendation.") Talbott now appeals.
II.
In this habeas appeal, we must accept the district court's factual findings unless they are clearly erroneous, but we review the district court's legal conclusions de novo. See Richmond v. Embry, 122 F.3d 866, 870 (10th Cir.1997), cert. denied, --- U.S. - - - - , 118 S.Ct. 1065, --- L.Ed.2d - - - - , 1998 WL 70556 (Feb. 23, 1998). In order to uphold the district court's Rule 12(b)(6) dismissal, we must find that the petitioner can prove no set of facts in support of his claims that would entitle him to relief, accepting the factual allegations in his pleadings as true and construing them in the light most favorable to his claims. See Summun v. Callaghan, 130 F.3d 906, 913 (10th Cir.1997).
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141 F.3d 1185
NOTICE: Although citation of unpublished opinions remains unfavored, unpublished opinions may now be cited if the opinion has persuasive value on a material issue, and a copy is attached to the citing document or, if cited in oral argument, copies are furnished to the Court and all parties. See General Order of November 29, 1993, suspending 10th Cir. Rule 36.3 until December 31, 1995, or further order.
Timothy Lee TALBOTT, Petitioner-Appellant,
v.
Jim FERGUSON, Warden, Wyoming State Penitentiary; and the
Wyoming Attorney General, Respondent-Appellee.
No. 97-8091.
United States Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit.
March 4, 1998.
Before BALDOCK, EBEL and MURPHY, Circuit Judges.
ORDER AND JUDGMENT
DAVID M. EBEL, Circuit Judge.
In this appeal of the district court's dismissal of a state prisoner's federal habeas petition under 28 U.S.C. § 2254 (1994), an inmate at the Wyoming State Penitentiary challenges his 20- to 30-year sentence for second-degree murder on the grounds that his conviction was obtained through the use of an illegally obtained confession. Because we conclude that the government's references to this confession during its opening statement in the petitioner's state trial do not constitute clear error, we affirm the dismissal of the petition.
I.
Timothy Lee Talbott, petitioner-appellant, was convicted of second-degree murder for the shooting death of his wife, Betty Jo Talbott. See Talbott v. State, 902 P.2d 719, 720 (Wyo.1995) (affirming Talbott's conviction). Talbott contends that investigators extracted a confession from him during a police station interrogation by improperly relying on statements he had made to police during an interview the day before at a motel. (See R., Doc. # 1, "Petition for a Writ of Habeas Corpus," at 6.) Talbott contends that all of these statements were obtained in violation of his right to counsel because Talbott initially told police during his first contact with them--one day before the police station interrogation--that he wished to deal with investigators "only" through his counsel. (See id.) Talbott contends that all subsequent questioning by police violated the rule in Edwards v. Arizona, 451 U.S. 477, 484-85, 101 S.Ct. 1880, 68 L.Ed.2d 378 (1981), that absent a clear and unambiguous waiver of the right to counsel, police may not reinitiate questioning once a person has invoked his right to counsel. (See R., Doc. # 1, at 6.)
Prior to Talbott's state trial, the trial court rejected Talbott's motion to suppress the statements he made during his police station interview, ruling that these statements were not fruits of any constitutional violation and could be used in the government's case-in-chief. See Talbott, 902 P.2d at 721. However, for reasons that are not apparent in the record, the prosecution did not seek to introduce any evidence of Talbott's incriminating statements during the government's case-in-chief. See id. Indeed, when the prosecution sought to admit the evidence during its rebuttal presentation, the trial court refused to allow the evidence on the grounds that it should have been offered during the case-in-chief. (See R., Doc. # 6, "Answer," Ex. C., at 664-65.)
The only reference to Talbott's "confession" during Talbott's trial came at the very beginning when, in the government's opening statement, the prosecutor repeatedly stressed that the evidence of the defendant's guilt would be provided by the defendant's own words. See Talbott, 902 P.2d at 721-22. Talbott's counsel did not object to these references to Talbott's "confession," and at no time did Talbott's counsel ask for any specific limiting instruction with respect to these comments. See id. at 722. The trial court provided a general limiting instruction before opening statements were given, cautioning jurors that statements by lawyers could not be considered evidence, and this instruction was repeated in the written instructions given to the jury before it retired for deliberations. See id.
Following Talbott's conviction, he filed an appeal with the Wyoming Supreme Court raising three issues, all related to the government's use of Talbott's confession. The court ruled, though, that even if police obtained the confession in violation of Talbott's right to counsel, he suffered no prejudice from this violation because no evidence of the confession was admitted during the trial. See Talbott, 902 P.2d at 721. The Wyoming Supreme Court then went on to address what it described as the "peripheral" issue of the prosecutor's opening statement. See id. The court held that the prosecutor's comments did not constitute reversible error because the prosecutor had a good-faith belief that the evidence of Talbott's confession was available and admissible and also because any error in the comments was cured by the trial court's instructions to the jury. See id. at 722.
Talbott filed this habeas petition on January 17, 1996, contending that his conviction was "obtained by use of illegally obtained statements (confession), in violation of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution...." (R., Doc. # 1, at 6(a).) The magistrate judge who considered Talbott's habeas petition recommended that the district court dismiss the case on the state's motion under Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6) because Talbott had failed to show that the prosecutor's remarks "substantially and injuriously effected [sic] or influenced the jury in determining their verdict against petitioner." (R., Doc. # 12, "Report & Recommendation Dismissing Petitioner's Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus," at 4.) The district court adopted the magistrate judge's recommendations without revision. (See R., Doc. # 14, "Order Adopting Magistrate's Report & Recommendation.") Talbott now appeals.
II.
In this habeas appeal, we must accept the district court's factual findings unless they are clearly erroneous, but we review the district court's legal conclusions de novo. See Richmond v. Embry, 122 F.3d 866, 870 (10th Cir.1997), cert. denied, --- U.S. - - - - , 118 S.Ct. 1065, --- L.Ed.2d - - - - , 1998 WL 70556 (Feb. 23, 1998). In order to uphold the district court's Rule 12(b)(6) dismissal, we must find that the petitioner can prove no set of facts in support of his claims that would entitle him to relief, accepting the factual allegations in his pleadings as true and construing them in the light most favorable to his claims. See Summun v. Callaghan, 130 F.3d 906, 913 (10th Cir.1997).
Talbott's habeas petition asserted three constitutional infirmities in his state conviction, all relating to the legality of the government's conduct in obtaining his confession. (See R., Doc. # 1, at 6(a).) The magistrate judge recommended rejecting these claims on the grounds that there could be no prejudice from this government conduct, even if it did violate the Constitution, because no evidence of Talbott's confession was introduced during Talbott's trial. (See R., Doc. # 12, at 5.) Talbott has failed to contradict this finding with any evidence from the record of his trial. Furthermore, the Wyoming Supreme Court found as a matter of fact that no evidence of Talbott's confession was admitted during Talbott's trial. See Talbott, 902 P.2d at 721. This factual finding by the state court is entitled to a presumption of correctness under 28 U.S.C. § 2254(d), and Talbott has failed to overcome that presumption. See Sena v. New Mexico State Prison, 109 F.3d 652, 655 (10th Cir.1997) ("Factual determinations by the state court are entitled to a presumption of correctness where those findings are evidenced by a written record and arrived at following a 'full, fair and adequate hearing.' ") (quoting 28 U.S.C. § 2254(d)(6)).
Contrary to Talbott's implicit assertion in his habeas petition, a prosecutor's reference to a confession in an opening statement does not constitute "use" of the confession for purposes of obtaining a conviction at trial. As the trial court instructed the jury, both orally and in writing, a prosecutor's opening statement is not to be treated as evidence. See Talbot, 902 P.2d at 722. The opening statement is useful only in the sense that it provides the jury with a preview of the evidence that later may be "used" for purposes of guilt or innocence. Only the evidence actually admitted at a trial has been "used" by the jury.
The question of whether the prosecutor's remarks in Talbott's trial were proper, when the prosecutor later failed to introduce the confession, is quite a different matter from whether such comments constituted evidence for the jury, and we make no comment on the propriety of these remarks. The resolution of Talbott's habeas petition requires only that we determine whether his confession was "used" in his state trial. We have found no indication in our record that the confession was in fact "used" in any evidentiary sense, and thus, the district court did not clearly err in dismissing Talbott's habeas claims. As a result, we AFFIRM the judgment of the district court.
The mandate shall issue forthwith.