Villalovos (Tomas) v. State ( 2013 )


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  •                  was not substantial evidence of his guilt, the reliability of other inmates
    was not independently evaluated, the hearing officer was not impartial,
    and the amount of credits forfeited was in excess of that permitted. 2
    Appellant failed to demonstrate a violation of due process
    because he received: (1) advance written notice of the charges; (2) written
    statement of the fact-finders of the evidence relied upon and the reasons
    for disciplinary action; and (3) a qualified right to call witnesses and
    present evidence. Wolff v. McDonnell, 
    418 U.S. 539
    , 563-69 (1974).
    Confrontation and cross-examination in prison disciplinary proceedings
    are not required because these procedures present "greater hazards to
    institutional interests." 
    Id. at 567-68
    . Some evidence supported the
    decision by the prison disciplinary hearing officer. Superintendent v. Hill,
    
    472 U.S. 445
    , 455 (1985). Appellant failed to demonstrate that the
    hearing officer was not impartial due to "command influence," particularly
    in light of the fact that the hearing officer was assigned to a different
    facility than the associate warden who drafted the notice of charges. The
    amount of credits forfeited did not exceed that permitted by the Code.
    2 To the extent that appellant challenged his placement in
    disciplinary segregation and restitution, appellant's challenge was not
    cognizable in a petition for a writ of habeas corpus. See Bowen v. Warden,
    
    100 Nev. 489
    , 
    686 P.2d 250
     (1984); see also Sandin v. Conner, 
    515 U.S. 472
    , 486 (1995) (holding that the liberty interest protected by the Due
    Process Clause will generally be limited to freedom from restraint which
    imposes an atypical and signification hardship on the inmate in relation to
    the ordinary incidents of prison life).
    SUPREME COURT
    OF
    NEVADA
    2
    (0) I947A
    NEM=
    N.D.O.C. A.R. 707.1(6)(H). Therefore, appellant failed to demonstrate
    that he was entitled to relief. Accordingly, we
    ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED. 3
    J.
    J.
    cc: Hon. Gary Fairman, District Judge
    Tomas Villalovos
    Attorney General/Carson City
    Attorney General/Ely
    White Pine County District Attorney
    White Pine County Clerk
    3 We  have reviewed all documents that appellant has submitted in
    proper person to the clerk of this court in this matter, and we conclude
    that no relief based upon those submissions is warranted. To the extent
    that appellant has attempted to present claims or facts in those
    submissions which were not previously presented in the proceedings
    below, we have declined to consider them in the first instance.
    SUPREME COURT
    OF
    NEVADA
    3
    (0) I947A