Rackley

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 9 BALJIT SINGH, No. 2:16-cv-2517 KJM AC Petitioner, v. FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS RON RACKLEY, Warden, Respondent. 15 Petitioner is a California state prisoner proceeding with counsel on an application for a writ of habeas corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254. The action proceeds on a petition challenging petitioner’s 2011 conviction for second degree murder. ECF No. 1. Respondent has answered, ECF No. 11, and petitioner has filed a traverse, ECF No. 13. BACKGROUND I. Proceedings In the Trial Court A. Preliminary Proceedings Petitioner was charged in San Joaquin County with killing his wife, who had been stabbed to death on December 23, 2009. The information charged petitioner with murder (Cal. Penal Code § 187(a)) and alleged that he used a knife to commit the murder (former Cal. Penal Code § 12022(b)(1)). 1 CT 1-2.1 27 “CT” refers to the Clerk’s Transcript on…