United States Third Circuit

Petition for writ of habeas corpus in a first degree murder capital punishment case is granted and the case remanded for resentencing where counsel's failure to conduct a reasonable investigation of defendant's background in anticipation of his capital sentencing violated his Sixth Amendment right to effective assistance of counsel.

Appellate Information

• Argued 07/27/2006
• Decided 09/28/2006
• Published 09/28/2006

Judges

• Before: RENDELL, AMBRO and FUENTES, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Third Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Ricardo Palacio, Esquire, Andrew D. Cordo, Esquire, Ashby & Geddes, John P. Deckers, Esquire (Argued), Wilmington, DE, for Appellant.


• For Appellees:
  
• Thomas E. Brown (Argued), Deputy Attorney General, Department of Justice, Wilmington, DE, for Appellee.