July 21st, 2017

Wessinger v. Vannoy

Docket: 15-70027
Opinion Date: July 20, 2017
Judge: Edith Brown Clement
Areas of Law: Civil Rights, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law

The Fifth Circuit reversed the district court's grant of habeas relief based on his claim of ineffective assistance of trial counsel at the penalty phase. The court held that counsel's performance in raising and developing petitioner's claim for ineffective assistance of trial counsel at the penalty phase was not deficient. Furthermore, petitioner failed to establish prejudice.