Tally v. Ortiz

252 F. App'x 248
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
DecidedNovember 29, 2007
Docket06-1523
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 252 F. App'x 248 (Tally v. Ortiz) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Tally v. Ortiz, 252 F. App'x 248 (10th Cir. 2007).

Opinion

ORDER DENYING CERTIFICATE OF APPEALABILITY & DISMISSING APPEAL

TERRENCE L. O’BRIEN, Circuit Judge.

After examining the briefs and appellate record, this panel has determined unani *252 mously that oral argument would not materially assist in 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.

Robin Tally filed a 28 U.S.C. § 2254 petition for a writ of habeas corpus. The district court denied the petition as well as Tally’s request for a certificate of appealability (COA). Tally renews his request for a COA here. See 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c)(1)(A). We deny a COA and dismiss this incipient appeal.

I. BACKGROUND

Tally repeatedly shot a former co-worker on August 24, 1995. He initially pled not guilty, but later changed his plea to not guilty by reason of insanity. Pursuant to a court order, Tally entered the Colorado Mental Health Center on December 14, 1995. He was discharged at the end of January 1996. Dr. David Johnson, a certified forensic psychiatrist, concluded Tally suffered from a “personality persecutorial type trait,” but was sane at the time of the shooting. (R. Vol. V at 7.) Tally was committed a second time in February 1996 to determine his competency to stand trial. In March, Dr. Johnson determined Tally was not competent to stand trial due to the development of a delusional disorder. The delusional disorder affected Tally’s interpretation of reality to the point he was unwilling to accept the victim’s death. When attempts at counseling proved unsuccessful, Dr. Johnson prescribed medication for the disorder but Tally refused the medication.

Tally became increasingly agitated and, on May 2, 1996, made threats to the staff. As a result, he was administered psychotropic medication pursuant to emergency protocol. The prosecution moved the court to continue the involuntary medication beyond the ten-day emergency period. The court held a hearing on May 13, 1996, to address Tally’s need for medication and the possible side effects. Dr. Johnson testified Tally had “shown extremely dangerous behavior” and opined that if medication were to cease Tally would become increasingly dangerous to others. (Id. at 20.) After a detailed discussion of the likelihood and possible side effects of the medication, Dr. Johnson reiterated the administration of anti-psychotic medication was necessary to prevent a significant and likely long term deterioration in Tally’s medical condition and to prevent the likelihood of Tally causing serious bodily injury to others at the institution. Finally, Dr. Johnson averred the treatment was the least intrusive alternative and Tally’s need for the medication was sufficiently compelling to override any legitimate interest in refusing treatment. The court granted the prosecution’s motion, determining continuing involuntary medication was the least intrusive means available to prevent significant deterioration in Tally’s condition and to protect others.

In August 1996, Dr. Johnson reported Tally had been restored to competency, in large part due to the continuing involuntary medication. Following a hearing, the court determined Tally was competent but ordered the involuntary medication be continued. In October 1996, Tally moved to discontinue the medication, claiming he could not be medicated against his will after being found competent. The trial court denied the motion without a hearing, adopting its findings from the May hearing that the medication was necessary to maintain Tally’s competency and to protect others.

Tally’s trial began on January 6, 1997. The jury found him guilty of first degree murder and Tally was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. The Colorado Court of Appeals affirmed his convic *253 tion. People v. Tally, 7 P.3d 172 (Colo.App.1999) (Tally I), cert. denied sub nom., Tally v. Colorado, 535 U.S. 1082, 122 S.Ct. 1970, 152 L.Ed.2d 1029 (2002). Tally filed a motion in state district court to vacate his conviction pursuant to Rule 35 of the Colorado Rules of Criminal Procedure. The district court denied the motion without a hearing on June 17, 2003. Tally appealed to the Colorado Court of Appeals which affirmed in an unpublished decision. People v. Tally, No. 03CA1723, 2005 WL 1119765 (Colo.App. May 12, 2005). The Colorado Supreme Court denied Tally’s subsequent petition for certiorari. Tally v. People, No. 05SC583, 2006 WL 381421 (Colo. Jan 17, 2006).

Thereafter, Tally filed a § 2254 petition in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado asserting seven claims. The district court dismissed the petition, concluding the rulings of the Colorado Court of Appeals on six of his claims were not contrary to clearly established federal law and the remaining claim was procedurally barred. Tally v. Ortiz, No. 06-cv-00188, 2006 WL 3201313 (D.Colo.2006) (Tally II). The district court denied Tally’s request for a COA.

II. CERTIFICATE OF APPEALABILITY

A COA is a jurisdictional prerequisite to our review. Miller-El v. Cockrell, 537 U.S. 322, 336, 123 S.Ct. 1029, 154 L.Ed.2d 931 (2003). We will issue a COA only if Tally makes a “substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right.” 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c)(2). To make this showing, he must establish that “reasonable jurists could debate whether ... the petition should have been resolved [by the district court] in a different manner or that the issues presented were adequate to deserve encouragement to proceed further.” Slack v. McDaniel, 529 U.S. 473, 484, 120 S.Ct. 1595, 146 L.Ed.2d 542 (2000) (quotations omitted). Insofar as the district court dismissed his habeas petition on procedural grounds, Tally must demonstrate both that “jurists of reason would find it debatable whether the petition states a valid claim of the denial of a constitutional right and that jurists of reason would find it debatable whether the district court was correct in its procedural ruling.” Id. “Where a plain procedural bar is present and the district court is correct to invoke it to dispose of the case, a reasonable jurist could not conclude either that the district court erred in dismissing the petition or that the petitioner should be allowed to proceed further.” Id. We review the district court’s factual findings for clear error and its legal conclusions de novo. English v. Cody, 241 F.3d 1279, 1282 (10th Cir.2001).

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252 F. App'x 248, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/tally-v-ortiz-ca10-2007.