Kernan

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 CHRISTOPHER HOUGLAND, No. 2:17-cv-2497 WBS AC P Petitioner, v. FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS SCOTT KERNAN, Warden, Respondent. 16 Petitioner is a California state prisoner proceeding through counsel on an application for a writ of habeas corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254. Petitioner challenges his 2014 conviction for first-degree murder and related offenses. ECF No. 1. Respondent has answered, ECF No. 14, and petitioner has filed a traverse, ECF No. 15. BACKGROUND I. Proceedings in the Trial Court A. Preliminary Proceedings An amended information charged petitioner Christopher Hougland with the murder of Samuel Forseth and alleged that petitioner personally used a deadly weapon, a knife, in the commission of the offense. //// //// B. The Evidence Presented at Trial1 The evidence at trial showed that in the early morning of June 27, 2013, petitioner…