Lapointe v. Comm’r of Corr.
Annotate this CaseAfter a jury trial, Petitioner was convicted of capital felony and arson murder, among other offenses. Petitioner sought a writ of habeas corpus alleging that his due process rights were violated because the State had failed to disclose a note written by a police detective containing details concerning the length of time that the fire burned inside the victim’s apartment prior to being discovered. First habeas counsel failed to pursue the claim, and consequently, the first habeas court rejected that claim as abandoned. Petitioner subsequently filed this habeas petition, alleging that the State withheld the evidence in violation of Brady v. Maryland and that his first habeas counsel had rendered ineffective assistance by failing to pursue and prove that claim. The second habeas court dismissed the claim. The Appellate Court remanded. The third habeas court rejected the petition. The Appellate Court reversed in part and remanded with direction to grant the petition for a writ of habeas corpus and for a new trial. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that Petitioner was deprived of a fair trial because his rights under Brady were violated and that Petitioner’s first habeas counsel provided ineffective assistance by failing to establish that violation.
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