United States Fourth Circuit

Denial of a death-row inmate's habeas petition and denial of an evidentiary hearing are affirmed over claims: (1) that jury instructions during the guilt phase of his trial violated the Eighth Amendment; and (2) that a juror-s recitation of a Biblical passage during sentencing deliberations violated the Sixth Amendment.

Appellate Information

• Decided 02/14/2006
• Published 02/14/2006

Judges

• Before WILLIAMS, KING, and SHEDD, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Fourth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  Kevin Patrick Bradley, Durham, North Carolina;  Geoffrey Wuensch Hosford, Hosford & Hosford, P.C., Wilmington, North Carolina, for Appellant.  Valerie Blanche Spalding, Special Deputy Attorney General, North Carolina Department of Justice, Raleigh, North Carolina, for Appellee.   ON BRIEF:  Roy Cooper, Attorney General of North Carolina, William N. Farrell, Jr., Senior Deputy Attorney General, Raleigh, North Carolina, for Appellee.