seventh circuit decision, denying habeas relief in 783 N.E.2d 1140 (Ind. 2003) Habeas – Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Habeas challenge to counsel’s performance in this capital case is limited to imposition of the death penalty, in three respects, all of which the court rejects. 1) Failure to ask the trial judge to have courtroom spectators stop displaying… Read more
5. Particular issues
seventh circuit court of appeals decision Habeas Review – Batson Claim The State’s pattern of peremptory strikes – at least 15, possibly 17, out of 20, directed at African-Americans – was so “disproportionate” as to “give[] rise to an inference of discrimination.” This is so, despite Harris limiting his challenges to 9 of these 17… Read more
seventh circuit decision Habeas – Knowing Use of False Testimony (“Napue”) Due process prohibits knowing prosecutorial use of false testimony, Napue v. Illinois, 360 U.S. 264, 269 (1959). However, the prosecutor’s exploitation of Bland’s incorrect testimony on a potentially important point (the date his gun was confiscated) doesn’t support habeas relief on a Napue-type theory. Napue and Giglio hold… Read more
Gregory L. Payne v. Basinger, 7th Cir No. 10-1869, 11/10/11 seventh circuit decision Ineffective Assistance of Counsel – Guilty Pleas – Prejudice The state court erroneously concluded that, because Basinger would have been convicted anyway had he gone to trial, he suffered no prejudice from counsel’s erroneous advice as to the maximum sentence he faced… Read more
seventh circuit court of appeals decision Habeas – Ineffective Assistance, State Court Failure to Reach – Standard of Review … When “no state court has squarely addressed the merits” of a habeas claim, however, we review the claim under the pre-AEDPA standard of 28 U.S.C. § 2243, under which we “ ‘dispose of the matter as… Read more
seventh circuit court of appeals decision, denying habeas relief on review of Wis. COA No. 2008AP1533-CR; prior history: 2001AP713-CR, 1995AP1856-CR Habeas – Exculpatory Evidence – Available to Defendant Jardine argues that the State suppressed exculpatory evidence, namely that post-conviction testing of the gun he admittedly possessed but denied using to club the victim didn’t reveal the presence of… Read more
seventh circuit court of appeals decision, denying habeas relief in Wis COA No. 2008AP398-CR Habeas – Duty to Preserve Apparent Exculpatory Evidence Pretrial destruction of car driven by McCarthy didn’t violate State’s duty to preserve exculpatory evidence, the court rejecting McCarthy’s argument that the destruction unconstitutionally impaired his affirmative defense of brake failure (against charge of causing great bodily harm by… Read more
Joseph Muniz v. Smith, 6th Cir. No. 09-2324, 7/29/11 sixth circuit court of appeal decision Habeas – Ineffective Assistance – Sleeping Counsel The fact that counsel has slept through a portion of trial does not, alone, amount to denial of counsel so as to require relief under United States v. Cronic, 466 U.S. 648 (1984), rather than inquiry into the prejudice component of Strickland… Read more
