MC Winston v. Boatwright, 7th Cir No. 10-1156, 8/19/11 seventh circuit court of appeals decision, denying habeas relief on review of unpublished decision in 2003AP3412 and 2005AP1255 Habeas – Jury Selection – Ineffective Assistance – Defense Counsel’s Discriminatory Use of Peremptories In a nutshell, this case presents the question whether the constitutional rights of the… Read more
1. Deficient performance
State v. Jeremy M. Bootz, 2010AP2795-CR, District 2, 7/27/11 court of appeals decision (1-judge, not for publication); for Bootz: Craig S. Powell; case activity Counsel “had no obligation to object to” the testimony of “a bona fide rebuttal witness,” hence didn’t perform deficiently. The court summarizes ground-rules relative to rebuttal witnesses, overarching principles being: “A bona… Read more
State v. Keith A. Stich, 2010AP2849-CR, District 2, 6/22/11 court of appeals decision (1-judge, not for publication); for Stich: Andrew Joseph Burgoyne; case activity Stich’s failure to heed an officer’s instruction to stop – instead, Stich walked away and into his house and encouraged his companion Lidbloom to do likewise – established the crime of obstructing. The police were… Read more
State v. Jimmie C. Grayer, 2010AP1749-CR, District 1, 6/1/11 court of appeals decision (not recommended for publication); for Grayer: Bridget E. Boyle; case activity Postconviction denial of ineffective assistance of counsel challenge without Machner hearing upheld. 1. Although counsel performed deficiently by inaccurately telling the jury in his opening statement that Grayer’s in-custody had not been recorded by the… Read more
State v. Shantell T. Harbor, 2011 WI 28, affirming unpublished decision; for Harbor: Joseph E. Redding; case activity Sentence Modification – New Factor The “new factor” test for sentence modification has split into “two divergent lines of cases”: Rosado v. State, 70 Wis. 2d 280, 288, 234 N.W.2d 69 (1975) (fact(s) highly relevant to, but not brought out at, sentencing… Read more
State v. Darron D. Jackson, 2011 WI App 63 (recommended for publication); for Jackson: Rebecca Lawnicki; case activity Waiver – Lesser Offense Instruction The jury convicted Jackson of recklessly endangering safety while armed, which was submitted as a lesser offense of the charged offense, attempted first-degree intentional homicide. Although Jackson did object to the endangering instruction… Read more
Albert Price v. Thurmer, 7th Cir No. 09-3851, 4/18/11 7th circuit court of appeals decision, on remand after prior appeal, 514 F.3d 729, denying relief on review of unpublished decision of Wis COA Habeas – IAC – NGI Defense Trial counsel seemingly mishandled the court-appointed NGI expert, in failing to cure the latter’s apparent misapprehension that he… Read more
Cullen v. Scott Lynn Pinholster, USSC No. 09-1088, 4/4/11 We first consider the scope of the record for a §2254(d)(1) inquiry. The State argues that review is limited to the record that was before the state court that adjudicated the claim on the merits. Pinholster contends that evidence presented to the federal habeas court may… Read more
