NEW YORK, NY — A man serving a lengthy prison sentence for a series of armed carjackings in Manhattan has failed in his attempt to overturn his conviction, with a federal judge rejecting his habeas corpus petition.
Carl D. Wells, convicted in connection with three violent car thefts in December 2006, asked the court to release him from state custody under a federal habeas petition. U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman denied that request, leaving his conviction and sentence intact.
String of Carjackings Led to Arrest
The case centers on three incidents over the course of one week in Manhattan, where drivers were threatened and forced out of their vehicles.
According to trial testimony, victims were approached by a man who demanded their keys while threatening to shoot them. In one case, the attacker warned he would “explode” the victim’s head if they did not comply.
Wells was arrested after police responded to a crash in the Bronx and found him asleep behind the wheel of a stolen vehicle. Investigators later linked him to the earlier robberies.
Conviction, Reversal, and Guilty Plea
Wells initially faced multiple robbery charges and chose to represent himself in court. He later pleaded guilty in 2011 to two counts of second-degree robbery and was sentenced as a persistent felony offender to 20 years to life in prison.
An appellate court later overturned that conviction, finding his waiver of the right to counsel was invalid. However, the case ultimately resulted in a reinstated conviction and continued incarceration, leading to his latest federal challenge.
Habeas Petition Rejected
In his federal filing under 28 U.S.C. § 2254, Wells sought to have his sentence vacated. Such petitions allow state prisoners to challenge convictions on constitutional grounds.
Judge Liman found that Wells did not meet the strict legal standard required for habeas relief, which is limited to cases involving significant constitutional violations or fundamental errors.
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Key Points
• Carl Wells’ bid to overturn carjacking conviction denied in federal court
• Case involved three armed vehicle robberies in Manhattan in 2006
• Judge ruled claims did not justify habeas relief under federal law
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High Bar for Federal Review
Federal courts give substantial deference to state court decisions in habeas cases, requiring petitioners to show that prior rulings were not just incorrect but unreasonable under clearly established law.
The court concluded that Wells’ arguments did not meet that threshold.
Current Status
Wells remains in state custody serving his sentence. The federal court’s decision leaves his conviction unchanged, with no immediate relief granted.