Milan Pakes v. P.D. Brazelton

MEMORANDUM

Milan Paul Pakes, a California state prisoner, appeals the district court’s denial of his petition for habeas corpus under 28 U.S.C. § 2254 . We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 2253 (c) and we affirm.

Trial counsel’s stipulation that Pakes “intended to flee from the traffic accident because he reasonably believed he would be sent back to prison if apprehended” was not more prejudicial than the alternative evidence that Pakes was on parole. Such evidence was relevant to his intent to flee and admissible under California law. See, e.g., People v. Scheer, 68 Cal.App.4th 1009 , 1020 n. 2, 80 Cal.Rptr.2d 676 (Cal.Ct.App.1998); People v. Johnson, 15 Cal.App.4th 169, 176 , 18 Cal.Rptr.2d 650 (Cal.Ct.App.1993). The stipulation was a sound strategic decision that did not prejudice Pakes. The state court’s rejection of his ineffective assistance claim was therefore not contrary to, nor an unreasonable application of, Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668 , 104 S.Ct. 2052 , 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984). See 28 U.S.C. § 2254 (d)(1).

Pakes further argues that he was denied a fair trial due to cumulative prejudice resulting from several other errors made by his trial attorney and by…