Herbert L. Lawrence v. James Robertson

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

10 HERBERT L. LAWRENCE, ) Case No. 2:19-cv-08213-SP ) Petitioner, ) ) MEMORANDUM OPINION AND v. ) ORDER DENYING PETITION ) FOR WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS JAMES ROBERTSON, Warden, ) ) Respondent. ) ) 16 I. INTRODUCTION On September 23, 2019, petitioner Herbert L. Lawrence filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus by a Person in State Custody (“Petition”). Petitioner challenges his 2017 convictions in Los Angeles County Superior Court for assault with a semi-automatic firearm, possession of a firearm by a felon, and attempted voluntary manslaughter. Petitioner raises one ground for relief, that the trial court erred and violated his constitutional rights when it excluded evidence of the victim’s violent history, which petitioner contends shows he acted in self-defense. For the reasons discussed below, petitioner’s claim does not merit federal habeas relief. 28 1 …