United States Sixth Circuit

In a death penalty case, denial of a petition for a writ of habeas corpus is reversed where, contrary to the district court's ruling, trial counsel provided ineffective assistance by failing to interview petitioner's family members and investigate obvious red flags contained in state records suggesting that his childhood was pervaded by violence and exposure to drugs in the home from an early age.

Appellate Information

• Decided 10/03/2008
• Published 10/03/2008

Judges

• Before:  BOGGS, Chief Judge;  MOORE and CLAY, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Sixth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  David C. Stebbins, Law Offices, Columbus, Ohio, for Appellant.  Adam Michael Van Ho, Office of the Ohio Attorney General, Cleveland, Ohio, for Appellee.   ON BRIEF:  David C. Stebbins, Law Offices, Columbus, Ohio, Carol A. Wright, Federal Public Defender's Office, Columbus, Ohio, for Appellant.  Carol Ann Ellensohn, Matthew C. Hellman, Office of the Ohio Attorney General, Columbus, Ohio, for Appellee.