# U ni te d S ta te s Co ur t of A pp ea ls

For the Eig hth Circu it

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No. 1 1- 37 65

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Ro be rt D. Co ch ran

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Peti ti on er

- App el la nt

v.

Dav e Dor m ire , Sup eri nt en de nt ; Ch ris Kos te r

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Resp on de nt s - Ap pe ll ees

__ __ __ __ __ __
App eal fro m

Uni te d S ta te s Di st ric t Co ur t fo r th e Weste rn Dis tri ct of M is so ur i - Kan sa s C it y

__ __ __ __ __ __

Su bm it te d: Nov em

be r 13 , 20 12
Fil ed : Dec em

be r 14 , 20 12 [Pu bl is he d]

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Befo re RI LEY, Chi ef J ud ge , W OLLMAN and MELLOY, Circu it Ju dg es

.

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PER CURI AM.

Ro be rt Co ch ran ap pe al s th e di st ric t co ur t's de ni al of hi s pe ti ti on fo r a writ of 1

ha be as co rp us un de r 28 U.S.C. § 22 54

. W e affi rm

. Bec au se we affi rm th e de ni al of

The Hon or ab le Howar d F. Sach s, Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Ju dg e fo r th e W es te rn 1

Dis tri ct of M is so ur i.Co ch ran 's pe ti ti on on th e m eri t s , w e do no t ad dr es s Res po nd en ts ' co nt en ti on th at

Co ch ran 's p et it io n i s u nt im el y

.

I.

Ant ho ny Hur t was sh ot an d ki ll ed du rin g a bu rg la ry of hi s ho m e on th e ev en in g

of Ju ne 14 , 1 99 6. Arth ur Bu rn s, Hur t's ro om m at e, was arri vi ng ho m e i n h i s c a r o n

Ju ne 14 whe n he ob se rv ed two bl ack m al es ru nn in g ou t th e fro nt do or of Hur t's ho m e.

Bu rn s pu rs ue d th e two

, bu t he so on cras he d hi s car an d ret ur ne d to Hur t ' s ho m e.

Fi nd in g Hur t fat al ly sh ot

, Bu rn s cal le d th e po li ce. The po li ce arri ve d aro un d 7: 00

P.M.

Late r th at ni gh t, po li ce qu es ti on ed Ro ns el l W il li am s in co nn ec t i o n wit h th e
cri m es

. W il li am s co nf

es se d he

, Co ch ran , an d W or ne l Mi tc he ll ha d bu rg la riz ed Hur t's

ho m e. Acco rd in g to W il li am s, Hur t ret ur ne d ho m e un ex pe ct ed ly du rin g th e bu rg la ry ,

an d Co ch ran sh ot Hur t as W il li am s a n d Mi tc he ll ran ou t th e fro nt do or

. Mi tc he ll

su rren de red to po li ce on Ju ne 15

, co nf es se d to th e bu rg la ry , an d al so cl ai m ed Co ch ran
sh ot Hur t. Que st io ne d by po li ce, Co ch ran de ni ed he was in vo lv ed

. He ad m it te d he

sa w W il li am s an d Mi tc he ll on Ju ne 14

, bu t he cl ai m ed he le ft th em be fo re th e cri m es

to ok pl ace to vi si t a fri en d, Ja m es Green

. Co ch ran al so st at ed th at aft er vi si ti ng

G r een , h e vi si te d hi s gi rlf rie nd , J ack ie Ree d. Acco rd in g to Co ch ran , h e an d Ja ck i e

sp en t th e ni gh t in a ro om at th e Bl ue bi rd Mo te l re se rv ed fo r th em by Mal co lm

,

an ot he r of

Co ch ran 's fr ie nd s.

At Co ch ran 's tri al

, W il li am s an d Mi tc he ll te st ifi ed ag ai ns t Co ch ran

. 2

Add it io na ll y , Po li ce Serg ean t Ja y Pru et ti ng te st ifi ed p o l i c e h a d be en un ab le to

co nf i r m C o c h r a n 's cl ai m th at he pa rte d wit h W il li am s an d Mi tc he ll to vi si t Green

.

Co ch ran 's fir st tri al en de d in a m is tri al

. Co ch ran was co nv ic te d fo ll owi ng a 2

se co nd tri al . W e ta ke th es e fac ts fro m th e st at e co ur t.

-2

-Pru et ti ng al so te st ifi ed th at po li ce had qu es ti on ed st aff a t t he Bl ue bi rd Mo te l and at

se ve ral ot he r m ot el s in th e area an d fo un d no reco rd of Co ch ran , Ja ck ie Ree d, or

Mal co lm at an y of th e m ot el s ("P ru et ti ng 's m ot el te st im on y "). Co ch ran 's tri al co un se l

di d n ot ob ject t o P ru et ti ng 's m ot el tes ti m on y

.

Ja ck ie Ree d an d he r m ot he r Mar y Ree d te st ifi ed on Co ch ran 's be ha lf. Neit he r

wom an ha d a cri m in al reco rd

. The Ree ds te st ifi ed Co ch ran ha d vi si te d Ja ck ie Ree d

on Ju ne 14

, 19 96 fo r two sh or t pe rio ds

, fir st at 6: 30 P.M. an d ag ai n be twee n 7: 15 an d

7 :3 0 P.M. Ja ck ie Ree d fu rth er te st ifi ed Co ch ran ret ur ne d aro un d 10 :0 0 P

. M

. , a t

whi ch ti m e th ey le ft to sp en d th e ni gh t in a m ot el

. Sh e be li ev ed th ey st ay ed at ei th er

th e Bl ue bi rd Mo te l or th e Sk y vi ew Mo te l. Green an d Mal c o l m w e r e n ot cal le d to

te st ify.

The jury co nv ic te d Co ch ran of on e co un t of se co nd -d eg ree m ur de r, on e co un t

of fir st -d eg ree bu rg la ry , an d on e co un t of arm ed cri m in al co nd uc t. Co ch ran rece iv ed

a li fe se nt en ce on th e m

ur de r co nv ic ti on an d fif

te en -y ear se nt en ces on each of th e two

rem ai ni ng co nv ic ti on s, al l to ru n co nc ur ren tl y

. His di rect ap pe al s were un su cces sf ul

.

Co ch ran th en fil ed a Mi ss ou ri Su pr em e Co ur t Ru le 29 .15 m o t i o n f o r po st

co nv ic ti on rel ie f. Co ch ran arg ue d Pru et ti ng 's m ot el te st im on y was he ars ay to whi ch

hi s tri al co un se l sh ou ld ha ve ob jecte d. He arg ue d th e ad m is si on of Pru et ti ng 's m ot el

te st im on y pr ejud ic ed hi s al ib i de fen se be cau se it un de rm in ed th e cred ib il it y of hi s

en ti re st at em en t to th e po li ce. He al so arg ue d hi s tri al co un se l was de fic ie nt in fai li ng

to in ve st ig at e Green as an al ib i wit ne ss

. He arg ue d Green ' s t e s t i m on y wou ld ha ve

co rr obor at ed Co ch ran 's st at em en t to po li ce an d th us su pp or te d Co ch ra n' s al ibi de fe nse

as a who le

. 3

Co ch ran rai se d ad di ti on al cl ai m s in hi s 29 .15 m ot io n an d in hi s fed eral ha be as 3

pe ti ti on in th e di st ric t co ur t, bu t on th is ap pe al he rai se s on ly hi s tri al co un se l's fai lu re
to ob ject t o P ru et ti ng 's m ot el tes ti m on y an d fa il ur e to in ve st ig at e Green

.

-3

-Co ch ran 's tri al co un se l te st ifi ed at hi s 29 .15 he ari ng

. Howev er, so m e te n y ears

ha d pa ss ed si nc e Co ch ran 's tri al

, an d hi s tri al co un se l co ul d no t reca ll an y th in g ab ou t

C o c hr an 's cas e. Sh e co ul d on ly pr ov id e ge ne ric te st im on y ab ou t he r us ua l t r i a l 4

pr act ic es

. S h e s t a te d it was no t he r pr act ic e to cal l al l po te nt ia l al ib i wi tn es se s

. In st ead

, sh e wou ld cal l th e wit ne ss who wou ld "co m e of f th e be st ," ta k i n g th e
cri m in al hi st or y of th e po te nt ia l wit ne ss es in to acco un t. Sh e de sc rib ed th e di ffi cu lt y
of co nt act in g po te nt ia l wit ne ss es who

, du e t o a pe nd in g cri m in al ch arg e or

in carc erat io n, were rep res en te d by at to rn ey s— at to rn ey s m ig ht ad vi se th ei r cl i en ts

ag ai ns t te st ifyin g an d pr ev en t he r fro m co nt act in g th ei r cl ie nt s di rect ly. Fi na ll y , sh e

te st ifi ed sh e al way s d ev el op ed a st rat eg y be fo re t ria l.

Green was de po se d in co nn ect io n wit h Co ch r a n's 29 .15 m ot io n be cau se he

co ul d no t be pr es en t at th e he ari ng

. Gre e n c o n f i r m ed Co ch ran vi si te d hi m on Ju ne

14

, 19 96

, "ea rli er th an ev en in g, [o r] earl ie r ev en in g." Green te st ifi ed he sp ok e wit h

th e po li ce ei th er la te on Ju ne 15 or earl y on Ju ne 16 an d to ld th em Co ch ran ha d

vi si te d h im

on Ju ne 14 . Green ack no wled ge d h e was in carc erat ed on Feb ru ary 19

, 19 98 , th e la st da y

of C oc hr an 's t ria l. He t es ti fie d n o on e fro m th e pu bl ic de fen de r's

of fic e co nt act ed hi m be twee n Ju ne 14

, 19 96 an d th e en d of F e b r u a r y 19 98

. At th e

ti m e of Co ch ran 's tri al

, Green ha d two co nv ic ti on s fo r dr ug po ss es si on on hi s reco rd

. Green st at ed he wou ld ha ve res po nd ed to a req ue st to tes ti fy on Co ch ran 's b eh al f.

App lying St ric kl a n d v . Wash in gt on , 4 66 U.S. 6 68 (1 98 4) , t he Mi ss ou ri st at e

co ur t de ni ed Co ch ran 's m ot io n. It co nc lu de d th at t h e c r i mes oc cu rred aro un d 6: 30

P.M. on Ju ne 14

. The co ur t co nc lu de d th at w h i l e Pru et ti ng 's m ot el te st im on y m ay

The st at e co ur t al lo wed Co ch ran to fil e hi s 29 .15 m ot io n ou t of ti m e. Co ch ran 4

cl ai m ed he ti m el y fil ed a 29 .15 m ot io n, bu t on ba d ad vi ce of co un se l, he fil ed in th e

wro ng co ur t, whe re th e m ot io n li ng ered fo r ei gh t y ears be fo re Co ch ran di sc ov ered hi s

m is ta ke

. As st at ed ab ov e, be cau se we affi rm de ni al of Co ch ran ' s p e t i t i o n on th e

m eri ts

, we do no t ad dr es s Res po nd en ts ' a r gu m en t th at Co ch ran 's cu rren t fed eral

pe ti ti on is un ti m el y

.

-4

-ha ve co ns ti tu te d he ars ay , Co ch ran ha d no t pr ov e n h e s u ffer ed an y pr ejud ic e as a

res ul t of hi s tri al co un se l's fai lu re to ob ject. Fi rs t, Ja ck ie Ree d's te st im on y —t ha t sh e

a n d Co ch ran ha d sp en t th e ni gh t at ei th er th e Bl ue bi rd or th e Sk yv i e w

m ot el —s up po rte d Co ch ran 's st at em en t to po li ce. Seco nd

, th e co u r t n ot ed Ja ck ie 's

te st im on y th at sh e an d C oc hr an di d n ot lea ve for th e m ot el un ti l 1 0: 00 P.M.. Si nc e

Pru et ti ng 's m ot el te st im on y di d no t rel a t e t o C o c h ran 's al ib i fo r th e ti m e th e cri m es

were co m m it te d, t he co ur t co nc lu de d, Co ch ran ha d n ot sh own pre jud ic e.

The st at e co ur t al so co nc lu de d Co ch ran ha d fai le d to pr ov e hi s tri al co un se l ha d

no t in ve st ig at e d G r een

. The co ur t no te d th e ge ne ric te st im on y of Co ch ran 's tri al

co un se l th at sh e al way s in ve st ig at ed al ib i wit ne ss es an d th at po te nt ia l wit ne ss es who

were in carc erat ed an d rep res en te d by at to rn ey s were pr ob le m at ic

. The co ur t

emp h a s i z e d th at

, un de r St ric kl an d, co un se l is st ro ng ly pr es um ed to ha ve pr ov id ed

co m pe te nt as si st an ce, an d th e co ur t ru le d th at C o c hr an ha d fai le d to sh ow hi s tri al

co un se l's de ci si on no t t o c al l Gre en was n ot m erel y a st rat eg ic de ci si on

.

The Mi ss ou ri C o u r t o f App eal s affi rm ed

, an d Co ch ran su bs eq ue nt ly fil ed a
fed eral ha be as pe ti ti on al le gi ng in effe ct iv e as si st an ce of co un se l. The di st ric t co ur t

la rg el y ad op te d t he st at e co ur t's fact ua l fi nd in gs an d den ie d Coc hr an 's pet it io n. On

ap pe al

, Co ch ran co nt en ds hi s tri al co un se l was in effe ct iv e by (1 ) fai li ng to ob ject to

Pru et ti ng 's m ot el te st im on y an d (2 ) fai li ng to in ve st ig at e Green as a po te nt ia l wit ne ss

.

II.

W e m ay gr an t a pe ti ti on fo r ha be as co rp us un de r § 22 54 on ly if th e st at e co ur t

ad jud ic at io n "re su lt ed in a de ci si on th at was co nt rary to

, or in vo lv ed an un reas on ab le

ap pl ic at io n of

, cl earl y es ta bl is he d Fed eral la w, as de te rm in ed by th e Su pr em e Co ur t

of th e Uni te d St at es " or "re su lt ed in a de ci si on th at was ba se d on an un reas on ab le

de te rm in at io n of t he fact s in li gh t of th e ev id en ce pr es en te d in th e St at e co ur t

pr oc eed in g." 28 U.S.C. § 22 54 (d ). "[A] de te rm in at io n of a fact ua l iss ue m ad e by a

-5

-St at e co ur t sh al l b e p res um ed to be co rrec t. The ap pl ic an t sh al l ha ve th e bu rd en of

reb ut ti ng th e pr es um

pt io n of co rrec tn es s by cl ear an d co nv i n c in g ev id en ce." 28

U.S.C. § 22 54 (e). Fi na ll y , "a st at e-co ur t fact ua l de te r mi n a t i o n is no t un reas on ab le

m erel y be cau se th e fed eral ha be as co ur t wo ul d h av e reac he d a di ffer en t co nc lu si on

in th e fi rs t i ns ta nc e." Woo d v . All en , 55 8 U.S. 2 90 , 13 0 S . Ct. 8 41 , 84 9 (2 01 0)

.

To su ccee d on a cl ai m of in effe ct iv e as si st an ce of co un se l, a de fen da nt ha s th e
bu rd en of sh owi ng (1 ) tri al co un se l was de fic ie nt an d (2 ) th e de fen se was pr ejud ic ed

as a res ul t. St ric kl a n d

, 4 6 6 U.S. at 68 7. To de m on st rat e de fic ie nt pe rfo rm an ce, a
de fen da nt m

us t s h o w "co un se l's rep res en ta ti on fel l be lo w an ob jecti ve st an da rd of

reas on ab le ne ss ." Id

. at 68 7– 88

. To sh ow pr ejud ic e, "[t ]he de fen da nt m us t sh ow th at

t he re is a reas on ab le pr ob ab il it y th at

, bu t fo r co un se l's un pr of es si on al erro rs , th e

r e s u l t o f t he pr oc eed in g wou ld ha ve be en di ffer en t. A reas on ab le pr ob ab il it y is a

pr ob ab il it y

su ffi ci en t t o u nd erm in e co nf id en ce i n t he ou tc om e." Id . at 6 94

.

A. Fail ur e to ob

ject t o P ru et ti ng 's m ot el tes ti m on y

W e ag ree wit h th e di st ric t co ur t th at th e fai lu re of Co ch ran 's tri al co un se l to

ob ject to Pru et ti ng 's m ot el te st im on y do es no t en ti tl e Co ch ran to ha be as rel ie f. Eve n

if we as su m e th at Pru et ti ng 's m ot el te st im on y co ns ti tu te d he ars ay an d th at th e fai lu re

o f C o c h ran 's tri al co un se l to ob ject co ns ti tu te d de fic ie nt pe rfo rm an ce, th ere is n o

reas on ab le pr ob ab il it y th e ou tc om e of C oc hr an 's tri al wou ld ha ve ch an ge d ha d

Pru et ti ng 's m ot el tes ti m on y be en di sa ll owe d.

W e ack no wled ge Co ch ra

n' s ar gum en t tha t Pr

ue tti ng' s m ote l te sti m ony im pa ct ed

t h e c r e d ib il it y of Co ch ran 's en ti re st at em en t to th e po li ce. Howev er, as we n o t e

a bo ve , a st at e co ur t's de te rm in at io n is no t un reas on ab le si m pl y be cau se we mi g h t

ha ve reac he d a di ffer en t co nc lu si o n

. S e e Woo d, 13 0 S. Ct . a t 84 9. The st at e co ur t

de te rm in ed th at Co ch ran fai le d to pr ov e pr ejud ic e be cau se Pru et ti ng 's m ot el

te st im on y di d no t sp eci fic al ly rel at e to th e ti m e fram e of th e cri m es

. The st at e co ur t

-6

-al so no te d Ja ck ie Ree d's te st im on y —t ha t sh e an d Co ch ran sp en t th e ni gh t of Ju ne 14

in a m ot el —s up po rte d Co ch ran 's st at em en t to po li ce. On th es e fact s, we can no t sa y
th e st at e co ur t's de te rm in at io n th at Co ch ran fai le d to pr ov e pr ejud ic e was co nt rary to

St ric kl an d. Pru et ti ng 's m ot el ev id en ce co ns is te d of on e sh or t st at em en t reg ard in g th e

ou tc om e of po li ce in qu iri es

. Co ns id eri ng th e si gn ifi can t bo dy of te st im on y fro m

W il li am s, Mi tc he ll

, Mar y Ree d, ad di ti on al st at e wit ne ss es , an d fo ur ad di ti on al

de fen se wit ne ss es , we fin d no reas on ab le pr ob ab il it y th at th e ad m is si on of Pru et ti ng 's

m ot el ev id en ce al te red th e o ut co m e o f Co ch ran 's t ria l.

B. Fai lu re t o i nv es ti ga te Green as a wit ne ss

W e fin d no ba si s on whi ch to up se t th e st at e co ur t's de te rm in at io n th at Co ch ran

fai le d t o carry hi s bu rd en of pr ov in g hi s tri al co un se l di d no t i nv es ti ga te Green . To

pr ov e hi s tri al co un se l di d no t in ve st ig at e Green

, Co ch ran rel ie s on Green 's te st im on y
th at no on e fro m th e pu bl ic de fen de r's of fic e co nt act ed Green be twee n Ju ne 4, 19 96

an d th e en d of Feb ru a r y 1 99 8. The st at e co ur t no te d th at Green was in carc erat ed at

th e ti m e of Co c h r a n ' s t r i al

. It al so ci te d th e te st im on y of Co ch ran 's tri al co un se l

reg ard in g he r ge ne ral pr act ic e of al way s in te rv ie win g al ib i w i t n e s s es an d th e
di ffi cu lt ie s of pr oc ur in g te st im on y fro m po te nt ia l wit ne ss es who were in carc erat ed

an d rep res en te d b y a t t o r n ey s. On th is reco rd we can no t sa y th e st at e co ur t's

de te rm in at io n was un reas on ab le

. The si ng le cl ai m th at Green was no t co nt act ed by 5

Co ch ran 's tri al co un se l, ev en if acce pt ed

, do es no t es ta bl is h t h a t Co ch ran 's tri al

co un se l fai le d to in ve st ig at e Green

. Co ch ran ha s no t pr o v id ed th e cl ear an d

Co ch ran cl ai m s th at gi ve n th e di ffi cu lt ie s of lo cat in g ev id en ce y ears aft er hi s 5

tri al

, th e st at e co ur t he ld hi m to an "i m po ss ib le " st an da rd of pr oo f whe n it de te rm in ed
he ha d fai le d to pr ov e hi s tri al co un se l di d no t in ve st ig at e Green

. Howev er, th e fact
th at ga th eri ng ev id en ce of hi s tri al co un se l's pe rfo rm an ce was m ad e m or e di ffi cu lt by
th e pa ss ag e of ti m e do es no t al te r th e le ga l st an da rd of St ric kl an d un de r whi ch
Co ch ran be ars th e b ur de n o f pr oo f.

-7

-co nv in ci ng ev id en ce we req ui re to reb ut th e pr es um pt io n th at t h e s t at e co ur t's

de te rm in at io ns were co rrec t. See 28 U.S.C. § 2 25 4( e).

Add it io na ll y , we fin d no reas on ab le pr ob ab il it y th at Green 's te st im on y wou ld

ha ve ch an ge d th e ou tc om e o f Co ch ran 's tri al

. Bas ed on th e fact s Bu rn s rep or te d to

po li ce an d th e ti m e po li ce arri ve d at Hur t's ho m e, it was no t un reas on ab le fo r th e st at e

co ur t to de te rm in e th at th e cri m es were co m m it te d aro un d 6: 30 P.M. on Ju ne 14

. Ass um in g th e cri m es to ok pl ace at 6: 30 P.M., th e ti m e fram e fo r Co ch ran 's al ib i was

co ve red by th e te st im on y of Ja ck ie an d Mar y Ree d. Acco rd in g to Green 's de po si ti on , Green co ul d on ly te st ify th at Co ch ran vi si te d hi m at so m e po in t in th e earl y ev en in g

of Ju ne 14

. Thi s ev id en ce is no t su ffi ci en tl y st ro ng to crea te a reas on ab le pr ob ab il it y
th at Green 's te st im on y wou ld ha ve al te red th e ou tc om e of Co ch ran 's tri al

, es pe ci al ly

si nc e Ja ck ie an d M ary Ree d p ro vi de d d ire ct ali bi te st im on y

. Thu s, th e st at e co ur t's

de te rm in at io n th at Co ch ran fai le d to sh ow pr ejud ic e was no t co nt rary t o or an

un reas on ab le ap pl ic at io n o f fed eral law.

III.

Fo r th e reas on s st at ed ab ov e, we affi rm th e di st ric t co ur t's de ni al of Co ch ran 's

pe ti ti on

.

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

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-