A prisoner’s petition for writ of habeas corpus was properly denied where the determination that he had possessed a weapon in a shared cell was supported by “some” evidence. During a search of the prisoner’s cell, correctional officers found contraband razor blades. The petitioner denied knowledge of the items, and his cellmate admitted that the razor blades belonged to him. Nonetheless, an administrative hearing found that the petitioner had violated prison regulations and was subject to a loss of conduct credits. A trial court issued a writ of habeas corpus, but the appellate court reversed. When considering a due process challenge to a prison disciplinary action, a reviewing court must apply an extraordinarily deferential standard of review, upholding the action so long as it is supported by “some” evidence. Here, the record showed some evidence supporting the petitioner’s possession of the razor blades, and he was not entitled to habeas relief.
Case Summaries