(HC) Bontemps v. Merchant

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 9 FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 11 GREGORY C. BONTEMPS, No. 2:22-cv-1741 TLN KJN P 12 Petitioner, 13 v. FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 14 JOHN MERCHANT, 15 Respondent. 16 17 Petitioner, a state prisoner, proceeds pro se with an application for a writ of habeas corpus 18 pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254. The matter was referred to a United States Magistrate Judge 19 pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(B) and Local Rule 302. 20 On February 16, 2023, respondent filed a motion to dismiss this action as successive. On 21 April 4, 2023, in response…