Williams v. Roper, No. 10-2579 (8th Cir. 2012)
Annotate this CasePetitioner, convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death, petitioned for a writ of habeas corpus under 28 U.S.C. 2254. The district court denied relief on twelve of petitioner's claims, but granted relief on his claim of ineffective assistance of counsel at the penalty phase of trial. The State appealed the grant of relief. The court held that the state court's decision was neither contrary to, nor an unreasonable application of, clearly established federal law. The district court did not consider the prejudice question through the deferential lens of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 (AEDPA), 28 U.S.C. 2254, and this was reversible error.
Court Description: Prisoner case - Habeas. The Supreme Court of Missouri's ruling that Williams did not establish prejudice from his attorney's allegedly deficient performance at sentencing was neither contrary to, nor an unreasonable application of, clearly established federal law; the district court order granting petitioner a writ of habeas corpus is reversed, and the matter is remanded with directions to dismiss the petition for the writ and enter judgment for the respondent. Judge Melloy, dissenting. [ September 17, 2012
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