Ludwig v. Hill

[7] 8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 9 SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA [10] 11 KENNETH JAMES LUDWIG, Case No.: 3:25-cv-01144-RBM-DDL CDCR #BU-3868 [12] ORDER DISMISSING HABEAS Petitioner, 13 PETITION WITHOUT PREJUDICE v. [14] [Doc. 1] JAMES HILL, Warden, [15] Respondent. [17] 18 On May 5, 2025, Petitioner Kenneth James Ludwig (“Petitioner”), a state prisoner 19 incarcerated at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego, California, 20 proceeding pro se, filed a Petition for a Writ of Habeas Corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 21 § 2241 (“Habeas Petition”) and paid the $5.00 filing fee. (Doc. 1.) Petitioner seeks a 22 modification of his state criminal sentence to allow for compassionate release from state 23 custody. (Id. at 2–3.) 24 Petitioner argues that federal courts have authority to order compassionate release 25 from custody. (Doc. 1 at 2 (citing United States v. Zukerman, 451 F.Supp.3d 329 (S.D.N.Y. 26 2020)).) However, Congress only authorized federal courts to grant compassionate release 27 to federal prisoners when “extraordinary and compelling reasons” warrant a reduction in 28 sentence, see 18 U.S.C. § 3582 (c)(1)(A)(i), and Petitioner is not a federal inmate serving a 1 || federal sentence. 2 Further, because Petitioner is a state prisoner attacking the validity of a state 3 || sentence, he may not proceed under 28 U.S.C. § 2241 ; he may only proceed with a habeas 4 action in federal court under 28 U.S.C. § 2254 . See White v. Lambert, 370 F.3d 1002 , 5 || 1006-07 (9th Cir. 2004) (explaining that 28 U.S.C. § 2254 is the proper jurisdictional basis 6 ||for a habeas petition brought by an individual in state custody pursuant to a state court 7 || judgment). 8 Accordingly, the Court DISMISSES Petitioner’s Habeas Petition without 9 || prejudice.! 10 IT IS SO ORDERED. 11 ||}|DATE: May 14, 2025 12 Kept Baertasdls, Notting 2 13 ON. RUTH BERMGDEZ! MONTENEGRO UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE [25] 26 | 27 ||! The Court notes that Petitioner filed a habeas petition pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254 the ag || Same day he filed the instant Habeas Petition. (See Case No. 3:25-cv-01151-AJB-KSC, Doc. 1.)