Barnes v. Joyner, No. 13-5 (4th Cir. 2014)
Annotate this CasePetitioner, convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to death, appealed the district court's denial of his petition for writ of habeas corpus against the State. Immediately after the jury returned its sentencing recommendation, petitioner alleged to the state trial judge that one of the jurors discussed the death penalty with her pastor the previous day. The court concluded that the state post-conviction court's failure to apply a presumption of prejudice and failure to investigate petitioner's juror misconduct claim, which was based on an external influence on the jury, was an unreasonable application of clearly established federal law. Therefore, the court reversed and remanded for an evidentiary hearing to determine whether the state court's failures had a substantial and injurious effect or influence on the jury's verdict.
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