Hirschfeld

FOR PUBLICATION

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT

RICHARD JOSEPH HIRSCHFIELD,  No. 04-35437 Petitioner-Appellant, v.  D.C. No.

CV-01-00264-TSZ

ALICE PAYNE,

OPINION

Respondent-Appellee.  Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington Thomas S. Zilly, District Judge, Presiding

Submitted August 22, 2005* Seattle, Washington

Filed August 22, 2005

Before: Diarmuid F. O’Scannlain, M. Margaret McKeown, and Carlos T. Bea, Circuit Judges.

Opinion by Judge O’Scannlain

*This panel unanimously finds this case suitable for decision without oral argument. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2).

11135 11138 HIRSCHFIELD v. PAYNE

COUNSEL

Michael Filipovic, Federal Public Defender’s Office, Seattle, Washington, argued the cause for the petitioner-appellant; Laura Mate was on the briefs.

John J. Samson, Attorney General’s Office, Olympia, Wash- ington, argued the cause for the respondent-appellee; Chris- tine O. Gregoire, Attorney General, was on the brief.

OPINION

O’SCANNLAIN, Circuit Judge:

In this habeas corpus appeal, we must decide whether a criminal defendant’s…