United States Fourth Circuit

Denial of a petition for a writ of habeas corpus is affirmed where the Supreme Court of Virginia did not unreasonably apply clearly established federal law in denying petitioner's claim that his counsel was deficient in failing to object to the victim-to-defendant comparisons during the prosecution's closing arguments.

Appellate Information

• Argued 03/20/2008
• Decided 04/15/2008
• Published 04/15/2008

Judges

• Before WILLIAMS, Chief Judge, and NIEMEYER and DUNCAN, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Fourth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED MarvinDavid Miller, Alexandria, Virginia, for Appellant.  Steven Andrew Witmer, Office of the Attorney General of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, for Appellee.   ON BRIEF:  Andrew A. Protogyrou, Protogyrou & Rigney, P.L.C., Norfolk, Virginia, for Appellant.   Robert F. McDonnell, Attorney General of Virginia, Jerry P. Slonaker, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, for Appellee.