State v. Beal, 2014AP1362, 2/24/15, District 1 (not recommended for publication); click here for briefs and docket During his opening, defense counsel told the jury that Beal would testify to a version of events that contradicted the State’s version, but then he broke that promise. Beal claimed ineffective assistance of trial counsel. The court of… Read more
41. Trial Procedures
Glebe v. Frost, USSC No. 14-95, 11/17/14 (per curiam), reversing Frost v. Van Boening, 757 F.3d 910 (9th Cir. 2014) (en banc); docket and Scotusblog page Supreme Court precedent has not clearly established that improper restriction of a defendant’s closing argument is structural error, so the Ninth Circuit erred in granting habeas relief on that ground. Frost wanted to defend… Read more
State v. Ryan P. O’Boyle, 2014AP80-CR, District 1, 11/4/14 (not recommended for publication); case activity O’Boyle’s claims of ineffective assistance of counsel are rejected because trial counsel’s performance wasn’t deficient. O’Boyle, charged with attempted first degree intentional homicide, raised a self-defense claim. He claimed trial counsel was ineffective for failing to ask for the eyewitness… Read more
State v. Sean T. Pugh, 2013AP1522-CR, District 3, 10/21/14 (not recommended for publication); case activity If the trial court erred in admitting evidence that Pugh had a prior conviction for an offense similar to the ones he was on trial for, the error was harmless, given the overwhelming evidence against him. In addition, the trial court properly… Read more
Lopez v. Smith, USSC No. 13-946, 10/6/14 (per curiam), reversing Smith v. Lopez, 731 F.3d 859 (9th Cir. 2013); docket When a state prisoner seeks federal habeas relief on the ground that a state court, in adjudicating a claim on the merits, misapplied federal law, a federal court may grant relief only if the state court’s… Read more
State v. Anthony E. Henderson, 2013AP2515, District 1, 10/7/14 (not recommended for publication); case activity If the trial court erred in excluding a witness’s attorney from testifying to information that would have impeached the witness, that error was harmless. Henderson was charged with sexually assaulting J.C. and R.S. Before trial, the attorney representing J.C. in… Read more
State v. Jacob G. Mayer, 2013AP2758-CR, District 2, 9/24/14 (not recommended for publication); case activity The trial court’s refusal to instruct the jury on the defense of voluntary intoxication and the prosecutor’s improper closing argument were harmless, but the latter is egregious enough to cause the court of appeals to refer the prosecutor to OLR. Mayer’s… Read more
On review of an unpublished court of appeals decision; case activity Issue (composed by Anthony’s PFR here ): May a criminal defendant be stripped of his right to testify pursuant to Illinois v. Allen when his behavior is never so disruptive, obscene, or violent that he must be removed from his trial? Anthony’s court of appeals… Read more
