United States Fourth Circuit

Limited contact with one attorney, limited time that a second attorney had to prepare defendant's case and to investigate the potential alibi witnesses, extreme press of business for the second attorney, and allegations of severe crimes do not strip the trial of all its integrity so that a per-se rule of prejudice is justified.

Appellate Information

• Argued 05/10/2001
• Decided 08/15/2001
• Published 08/15/2001

Judges

• Before WILKINSON, Chief Judge, and WIDENER and MICHAEL, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Fourth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  Tracey Colton Green, Assistant Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General, Columbia, SC, for Respondents-Appellants. Thadeous Herbert Westbrook, III, Nelson, Mullins, Riley & Scarborough, L.L.P., Columbia, SC, for Petitioner-Appellee. ON BRIEF:  Charles M. Condon, Attorney General, John W. McIntosh, Chief Deputy Attorney General, Donald J. Zelenka, Assistant Deputy Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General, Columbia, SC, for Respondents-Appellants.  William C. Wood, Jr., Nelson, Mullins, Riley & Scarborough, L.L.P., Columbia, SC, for Petitioner-Appellee.