In th e S u p re m e Co u rt o f Ge o rg ia

De c id e d : Ju ly5

, 2 0 16

S 16 A 0 0 7 0 . TAYLOR v

. METOYER.

HUNS T EIN, Ju stic e

.

I n Ma y 1 9 9 9, a ju ry c on v ic te d Sh a un Me to y e r o f n u m e ro us c o u n t s o f

a rm e d ro b b e ry a n d re la te d o ffe n se s, a fte r wh ic h h e wa s se n te n c e d to c o n se c u tiv e

life se n te n c e s. T h e Co u rt o f Ap p e a ls a ffirm e d M e to y e r’s c o n v ic t i o n s a n d

se n te nc e s. S e e M e to y e r v

. S ta te

, 2 8 2 Ga

. Ap p

. 8 1 0 (6 4 0 S E2 d 3 4 5 ) (2 0 0 6 ).

Me to y e r su b se q u e n tly file d a h a b e a s p e titio n in wh ic h h e a rg u e d

, a m o n g o th e r

th in g s, th a t h e re c e iv e d in e ffe c tiv e a ssista n c e of a p p e lla te c o u n se l. Th e h a

b e a s

c o u rt a g re e d w ith Me to y e r a n d g ra n te d h is p e titio n ; t h e W a rd e n n o w a p p e a ls.

We a g re e th a t Me to y e r re c e iv e d in e ffe c tiv e a ssista n c e o f a p p e lla te c o u n se l a n d

a ffirm th e ju d g m e n t o f th e h a b e a s c o u rt. 1

1

. Be c a u se re so lu tio n o f th e issu e s b e fo re u s is fa c t d e pe n d e n t, a su m m a ry

o f Me to y e r’s tria l, a

p p e a l, a n d h a

b e a s p ro c e e d in g s is n e c e ssa ry

.

In Ap ril 1 9 98

, a se rie s o f a rm e d ro b b e rie s to o k p la c e in Ric h m o n d

1 Si n ce we affi rm t h e h ab eas c o urt o n t h e g ro u nd s t h at M et o y er recei v ed

i n effect i v e as si s tan ce o f ap p el l at e co u n s el

, we do n o t reach t h e o th er g ro u n d s o n

wh i ch t h e h ab eas co u rt g ran t ed rel i ef.Co u n ty

, Ge o rg ia

. Me to y e r, 2 8 2 Ga

. Ap p

. a t 81 0

. “ In e a c h o f th e fo u r se p a ra te

in c id e n ts, two m a le s e x ite d a v e h ic le

, a

p p ro a c h e d th e v ic tim s, p o in te d g u n s a t

th e m , d e m a n d e d m o n e y

, a n d to o k th e v ic tim s’ p urse s a n d /o r wa lle ts a n d o th e r

p e rso n a l ite m s.” Id

. L a te r th a t m o n th

, la w e n fo rc e m e n t sto p p e d a c a r m a tc h in g

th e d e sc rip tio n o f o ne u se d in th e ro b b e rie s; in sid e th e c a r we re To in e Da n ie ls

a n d Nic h o la s Nic h o ls. Bo th m e n we re su b se q ue n tly tra n sp o rte d to th e sh e riff’s

o ffic e a n d in te rv ie we d

. Me to ye r wa s im p lic a te d b y Nic h o ls. Me a n wh ile

,

Da n ie ls id e n tifie d R i c a rd o Ca rtle d g e a s th e “ le a d e r” o f th e ro b be rie s a n d

d ire c te d a u th o ritie s to Ca rtle d g e ’s re sid e n c e

. At th e re sid e n c e

, la w e n fo rc e m e n t

o b se rv e d a se c o n d c a r th a t h a d b e e n d e s c rib e d a s b e in g u se d in th e ro b b e rie s.

A se a rc h o f bo th th e v e hic le a nd th e re sid e n c e re ve a le d ite m s c o n n e c te d with th e

c rim e sp re e

.

Da n ie ls a n d Nic h o l s e a c h re a c h e d a n a g re e m e n t with th e S ta te a n d p le d

g u ilty to th e ir in v o lv e m e n t in th e ro b b e rie s. Bo th p le a a gre e m e n ts re fle c t th a t

th e S ta te a n tic ip a te d fu tu re c o o p e ra tio n a t tria l fro m b o th m e n and th a t,

fo llo win g th a t c o o p e ra tio n

, th e S ta te wo u ld n o t o p p o se se n te n c e re m o ld in g

. At

tria l, h o we v e r, b o t h me n re p e a te d ly d e nie d th a t th e y h a d re c e iv e d “ a sp e c ia l

d e a l” or “ sp e c ia l tre a tm e n t” in e x c h a n g e fo r th e ir te stim o n y

. No ta b ly

, th e se

2sta t e me n ts we re sp e c ific a lly e lic ite d b y th e p ro se c u tio n a n d we n t la rg e ly

u n c h a lle n g e d

. As to th e de t a i l s o f t h e o ffe n se s, “ Da n ie ls g a ve sp e c ific

[te stim o n y ] a

b o u t M e to y e r’s in v o lv e m e n t in a n arm e d ro b be ry th a t o c c u rre d o n

Ap ril 2 1

, 1 99 8 ,” wh ile Nic ho ls te stifie d th a t “ Me to y e r p artic ip a te d in t h re e

ro b b e rie s th a t o c c u rre d on Ap ril 2 2

, 1 9 9 8 .” Me to y e r, 2 82 G a

. Ap p

. a t 81 1

. Th e

tria l tra n sc rip t re fle c ts th a t th e re wa s no ph y sic a l e vid e n c e a g a in st Me to y e r a n d

th a t, wh ile two ro b b e ry v ic tim s id e n tifie d h im a s a n a ssa ila n t, n e ith e r v ic tim wa s

c e rta in a b o u t th e ir id e n tific a tio n

.

F o llo win g Me to y e r’s c o n v ic tio n , tria l c o u n se l, Lu th e r Mc Da n ie l, file d a

m o tio n fo r n e w tria l a

rg uin g

, in te r a lia

, th a t th e S ta te ’s e v id e n c e h a d b e e n

in su ffic ie n t

. T h e m o tio n wa s la te r a m e n d e d b y Me to y e r’s first a p p e lla te

c o u n se l, Ro n a ld Ga rn e tt, to in c lu d e a c la im th a t t ria l c o un se l w a s in e ffe c tiv e

.

At a Ju ly 2 0 0 3 h e a

rin g o n th e mo t i o n

, Me to y e r te stifie d in su p po rt o f th e

in e ffe c tiv e n e ss c la im

. Na m e ly

, Me to y e r te stifie d th a t Mc Da n ie l h a d fa ile d to :

sp e a k o r m e e t with h im u n til th e m o rn in g of tria l; fa ile d to in v e stig a te Me to y e r’s

re p o rt th a t, in th e ir re sp e c ti v e J a c k so n -De n n o 2 h e a rin g s, b o th Nic ho ls a n d

Da n ie ls ha d a sse rte d th a t th e ir sta te m e nts to la w e n fo rc e m e nt we re u n tru e ; a n d

,

2 Ja c k so n v . De n n o , 3 7 8 U. S . 3 6 8 (8 4 S Ct 1 7 7 4 , 1 2 LE2 d 9 0 8 ) (1 9 6 4).

3in v e stig a te a n d p re se n t a p ossib le a lib i witn e ss, Le n ora Ha z e l. At th e c o n c lu sio n

o f th e he a rin g

, t h e t r i a l c o u rt g ra n te d Ga rn e tt a 10 -d a y win do w to se c u re a n

a ffid a vit fro m Ha z e l. Two -a n d -a -h a lf y e a rs la te r, a se c on d h e a rin g w a s h e ld o n

th e m otio n fo r ne w tria l. D u rin g th a t h e a rin g

, Me to y er’s se c o n d a p p e lla te

c o u n se l, Ba rb a ra Cla rid g e

, pre se n te d H a z e l a s a witn e ss. Ho we ve r, a s th e tria l

c o u rt la te r in dic a te d in its o rd e r d e n y in g th e m o tio n fo r n e w tria l, Ha z e l c o u ld

o n ly a c c o u n t fo r Me to y e r’s wh e re a b o u ts o n th e d a y s fo llo win g th e ro b b e rie s in

q u e stio n . Tria l c o u n se l wa s n e v e r c a lle d a s a witn e ss.

On d ire c t a

p p e a l, Cla rid g e a rg u e d th a t th e e v id e n c e wa s in su ffic ie n t to

su sta in th e c o n v ic tio n s a n d th a t Mc Da n ie l wa s i n e f f e c tiv e in th e fo llo win g wa y s:

b y fa ilin g to in v e stig a te a n d p re se n t a n a lib i d e fe n se ; by fa ilin g to se c u re th e

Ja c k so n -De nn o tra n sc rip ts; a n d

, b y m e e tin g with M e t o y e r o n ly o nc e be fo re tria l.

Th e Co u rt o f Ap p e a ls c o n c lu d e d th a t t h e e v id e n c e wa s su ffic ie n t to su sta in

Me to y e r’s c o n v ic tio n s a n d th a t th e c la im s o f in e ffe c tiv e a ssista n c e of c o u n se l

we re m e ritle ss o r wa iv e d

. Th e a pp e lla te c o urt a g re e d with th e t r i a l c o u rt th a t

Ha z e l c o u ld n o t h a v e p ro vid e d a n a l i b i fo r Me to y e r; th e a p pe lla te c ou rt a lso

c o n c lu d e d th a t th e re wa s n o e v i d e nc e o ve rc o m in g th e p re su m p tio n th a t tria l

c o u n se l’s de c isio n n o t to u se Ha z e l a s a witn e ss wa s stra te g ic

. With re sp e c t to

4th e c la im th a t tria l c o u n se l sh o u ld h a v e se c u re d th e Ja c kso n -De n n o tra n sc rip ts,

th e Co urt o f Ap p e a ls c o n c lu d e d th a t th e arg u m e n t wa s wa iv ed b e c a u se it wa s

n o t su p p o rte d b y a

rg um e n t or c ita tio n o f a

u th o rity ; th e Co u r t o f A p p e a ls a lso

c o n c lu d e d th a t, be c a

u se th e tra n sc rip ts we re n o t in c lu d e d in th e re c ord

, th e re

wa s n o m e a n in g fu l wa y to de te rm in e wh e th e r th e tra ns crip ts c o u ld h a v e b e e n

u se d a s im

p e a c hm e n t e v id e n c e

. F in a lly

, re g a rd in g th e c la im th a t Me to y e r a n d

Mc Da n ie l m e t o n ly o n c e b e fo re tria l, th e Co u rt of Ap p e a ls co n c l u d e d th a t

Me to y e r h a d fa ile d to e sta b lish th a t th e sin g le m e e tin g a m o u n te d t o d e fic ie n t

p e rfo rm a n c e a n d p re

ju d ic e . Me to y e r, 2 8 2 Ga . Ap p . a t 8 14 -8 1 5

.

Me to y e r tim e ly file d a p e titio n fo r h a b e a s co r p u s in wh ic h h e c la im e d

,

in t e r a lia

, th a t a

p p e lla te c o u n se l ra ise d friv o lo u s o r u n su p p orte d c la im s o n

a p p e a l a n d fa ile d to ra ise o th e r, m o re m e rito rio u s c la im s, su c h a s tria l c o u n se l’s

fa ilu re to c ro ss-e x a m in e Nic h o ls a nd Da nie ls o n th e ir re sp e c tiv e a g re e m e n ts

with th e S ta te

. Th e h a

b e a s c o u rt h e a rd te stim o n y fro m Me to y e r, Cla rid g e

, a n d

Mc Da n ie l. M e to y e r re ite ra te d h is te stim o n y fro m th e first m o tio n fo r n e w tria l

h e a rin g a n d c la rifie d th a t h e wa s f a m i l i a r with th e a rg u m e n ts m a d e a t th e

Ja c k so n -De nn o he a rin g s b e c a u se h e wa s p re se n t wh e n th e h e a rin g s we re

c o n d u c te d

. Mc D a n ie l c o u ld p ro v id e v e ry fe w d e ta ils re g a rd in g h is

5re p re se n ta tio n o f Me to y e r a t tria l, a n d h e g e n e ra lly te stifie d a s to h i s u su a l

p r a c tic e with re sp e c t to h is re p re se n ta tio n o f c rim in a l d e fe n da n ts. Cla r i d g e

te stifie d t h a t, wh ile n e ith e r sh e n o r Ga rn e tt we re a b le to lo c a te Mc Da n ie l, sh e

wa s un a wa re th a t he r fa ilu re to c a ll h im a s a witn e ss a t th e m o tio n fo r n e w tria l

h e a rin g w o u ld b e de trim e n ta l to a n in e ffe c tiv e n e ss c la im

. Cla rid ge a lso te stifie d

th a t, wh ile sh e k n e w th a t sh e d id n o t h a v e a c o p y o f th e J a c k s o n

- De n n o

tra n sc rip ts

– a n d wa s a wa re th a t sh e c o u ld h a v e file d a m o tio n to h a ve th ose

tra n sc rip ts p ro d u c e d

– sh e m a d e n o e ffo rt to s e c u r e th e m

. In a d d itio n to

te stim o n y

, th e h a

b e a s c o u rt re c e iv e d a s e vid e n c e th e re c o rd a nd tra n sc rip t fro m

Me to y e r’s tria l, a n i n c o m ple te p o rtio n o f th e d isp u te d Ja c k so n -De n n o

tra n sc rip t s

, a n d d o c u m e n ts re fle c tin g th e p le a a g re e m e n ts o f Nic h o ls a n d

Da n ie ls.

In its d e ta ile d, 5 0 -p a g e o rd e r, th e h a b e a s c o urt sid e d with Me to y e r o n th e

issu e o f a p p e lla te c o u n se l’s in e ffe c tiv e n e ss. Th e h a b e a s c o u rt fo u n d th a t it wa s

o b v io u s th a t H a z e l c o u ld n o t p ro v id e a n a lib i fo r Me to y e r o n th e d a te s re le v a n t

to th e c h a rg e s a n d

, th u s, th a t Cla rid g e p e rfo rm e d d e fic ie n tly b y a sse rtin g a c la im

o f in e ffe c tiv e n e ss b a se d o n th e p u rp o r t e d al ib i te stim on y

. Re g a rd in g th e

Ja c k so n -De nn o tra n sc rip ts, th e ha b e a s c o u rt c o n c lu d e d th e y we re a v a ilab le

,

6wo u ld ha v e p ro v id e d im pe a c h m e n t m a te ria l, c o u ld h a ve b e e n p ro c u re d b y b o th

M c D a n ie l a n d Cla rid g e

, a n d th a t th e fa ilu re o f tria l a n d a p p e lla te c o u n s e l t o

p ro c ure th e tra n sc rip ts w a s n o t b a se d o n re a so n a b le stra te g y

. Th e h a

b e a s c o urt

re a so ne d th a t Cla rid g e p e r f o rm e d de fic ie n tly wh e n sh e fa ile d to p ro c u re th e

Ja c k so n -D e n n o tra n sc rip ts a n d fa ile d to m a k e a m e a n in g fu l arg u m e n t with

re sp e c t to th e a sso c ia te d in e ffe c tiv e n e ss c la im

. Re g a rd in g th e c la im th a t c o u n se l

wa s u n p re p a re d f

o r t r i a l

, th e h a

b e a s c o u rt c o n c lu d e d th a t th e re wa s a m p le

e v id e n c e th a t Mc Da n ie l wa s “ wo e fu lly ” u n p re p a re d a nd th a t Cla rid g e fa ile d to

a d e q u a te ly pre se n t a n d su p p o rt th e a rg um e n t o n a p p e a l. F in a l l y

, t

h e h a b e a s

c o u rt a lso fo u n d th a t b o th Nic h o ls a n d Da n ie ls h a d e n te re d in to p le a a g re e m e n ts

c o n te m pla tin g fu tu re te stim o n y in e x c h a n g e fo r a s u b se q u e n t se n te n c e re d u c tio n

a n d th a t n e ith e r m a n h a d b e e n fo rth c o m in g a t tria l a b o u t th e te rm s o f th e ir p le a

a g re e m e n ts. Th e ha

be a s c o u r t c o n c lu d e d th a t Mc Da n ie l’s fa ilu re to c ro sse x a m in e Nic h o ls a n d Da n ie ls o n m o tiv e a n d b ia s

– a s we ll a s th e m isle a d in g

c h a ra c te riz a tio n o f th e ir a gre e m e n t

– c o uld n o t b e c o n s i d ere d re a so n a b le tria l

stra te g y

. Lik e wise

, th e h a b e a s c o u r t c o nc lu d e d th a t it wa s u nre a so na b le th a t

Cl a r i d g e om itte d a c la im o f in e ffe c tiv e n e ss ba se d o n th e sa m e a n d th a t

Cla rid g e ’s fa ilu re to ra ise su c h a c la im p re ju d ic e d Me to y e r.

72

. On a p p e a l, th e W a rd e n a sse rts th a t th e h a b e a s c o u rt’s f

i n d i n g s a n d

c o n c lu sio n s a re c le a

rly e rro n e o u s. We d isa g re e

.

A c la im o f in e ffe c tiv e a ssista n c e o f a p pe lla te c o u n se l re q u ire s a sh o win g

b o th th a t c ou n se l’s pe rfo rm a n c e wa s d e fic ie n t a n d th a t th e d e fic ie n c y p re ju d ic e d

th e o u tc o m e o f th e d e fe n d a n t’s a p p e a l. S lo a n v

. S a n d e rs, 2 7 1 Ga

. 2 9 9

, 2 9 9 (5 1 9

S E2 d 2 1 9 ) (1 9 9 9 ); Ba ttle s v

. C h a p m a n

, 2 6 9 Ga

. 7 0 2 (1 ) (5 0 6 SE2 d 8 3 8 ) (1 9 9 8 ).

Wh e n a n a ly z in g wh e th e r a p p e lla te c o u n se l’s p e rfo r ma n c e wa s d e fic ie n t, “ th e

c o n tro llin g p rin c ip le is ‘wh e th e r (a p p e lla te c o un se l’s) d e c isio n w a s a re a so n a b le

t a c tic a l m o v e wh ic h a n y c o m p e te n t a tto rn e y in th e sa m e situ a tio n wo uld h a v e

m a d e .’ [Cit.] ” S h o rte r v. Wa te rs, 2 7 5 Ga

. 5 8 1

, 5 8 4 (5 7 1 S E2 d 3 7 3 ) (2 0 0 2 ). Th e

p r e ju d ic e p ro ng re q u ire s th e p e titio n e r to sh o w th a t th e re is “ ‘a re a so n a b le

p ro b a b ility th a t, b u t fo r c o u n se l’s u n p ro fe ssio n a l e rro rs, th e re su l t o f th e

p ro c e e d in g w o u ld h a v e b e e n d iffe re n t. A re a so n a b le p ro b a b ility is a p ro b a

b ility

su ffic ie n t to u n d e rm in e c o n fid e n c e in th e o u tc o m e .’ [Cit.] ” Ha rd e m a n v

. S ta te

,

2 8 1 Ga

. 2 2 0

, 2 2 1 (6 3 5 S E 2 d 69 8 ) (2 00 6). F in a lly

, “ [a ] h a b e a s c o u rt’s

d e te rm in a tio n on a

c la im o f in e ffe c tiv e a s s i s ta nc e o f c o un se l is to b e a ffirm e d

u n le ss th e re v ie wi n g c o u rt c o n c lu d e s th e h a be a s c o u rt’s fa c tu a l fin d in g s a re

c le a rly e rro n e o u s o r a re le g a lly in su ffic ie n t to sh o w in e ffe c tiv e a ssista n c e o f

8c o u n se l.” (Cita tio n s om itte d.) He a d v

. T h o ma s o n

, 2 76 Ga

. 4 3 4

, 4 3 6 (1 ) (5 7 8

S E2 d 4 26 ) (2 0 0 3 ).

We c o n c lu de th a t th e h a

b e a s c o u rt’s fin d in g s a re su p po rte d b y th e re c o rd

a n d th a t th o se fin d in g s a re le g a lly su ff i c i e n t to sh o w th a t Cla rid g e wa s

in e ffe c tiv e

. As a n in itia l m a tte r, we a g re e th a t th e c la im s ra ise d b y C la rid g e o n

a p p e a l we re un te n a

b le

. Th e re c o rd is c le a r th a t Ha z e l c o u ld n ot p ro v id e a n a lib i

fo r M e to y e r a n d th a t a ny in e ffe c tiv e n e ss c la im re la te d to tria l c o u n se l’s fa ilu re

to c a ll he r a s a witn e ss wa s friv o lo us. Lik e wise

, we a g re e with th e h a b e a s c o urt

th a t n o c o m

p e te nt a tto rn e y wo u ld ha v e a sse rte d a n in e ffe c tiv e n e ss c la im b a se d

o n th e Ja c kso n-De n n o tra nsc rip ts in th e m a n n e r in wh ic h Cla rid g e p re se n te d it

o n a p p e a l; n o ta

b ly , Cla rid g e p re se n te d a o n e -se n te nc e a rg u m e n t re g a rd in g th e

c la im o n a

pp e a l a n d fa ile d to su p p o rt th e c la im with e i t h e r th e tra n sc rip ts

th e m se lv e s o r a n e x p la n a tio n o f w h a t th e tra n s cr i p ts wo u ld h a ve sh o w n

. S e e

Me to y e r, 2 82 G a

. Ap p

. a t 81 5

. F u rth e r, we a gre e th a t C la rid g e fa ile d to

c o m p e te n tly a sse rt th e c la im th a t c o u n se l wa s u n p re p a re d fo r t r i a l

. I n ste a d o f

fo c u sin g o n tria l c o u n se l’s le v e l o f p re p a ra tio n, Cla rid g e pre se n te d th e c la im in

th e c o nte x t o f h o w m a n y tim e s tria l c o u n se l h a d m e t with Me to y e r with o u t a n y

a n a ly sis a s to p re

ju d ic e

. It is we ll e sta b lish e d th a t, in th e a b se n c e o f a rg u m e n t

9a n d e v id e nc e su p p o rtin g pre ju d ic e

, a n a

p p e lla nt c a n n ot pre v a il o n a c la im o f

in e ffe c tiv e n e ss. S e e Owe n s v

. S ta te

, 2 69 Ga

. 8 8 7 (2 ) (a ) (5 0 6 S E2 d 8 6 0 ) (1 9 9 8 )

(fa ilu re to p ro v e p re

ju dic e fa ta l to c la im t h a t tria l c o u n se l wa s in e ffe c tiv e fo r

fa ilin g to p re p a re fo r tria l).

We a lso a g re e with th e h a b e a s c o ur t t h at a stro n ge r c la im o f

in e ffe c tiv e n e s s e x i s t e d wh ic h Cla rid g e c ou ld h a ve ra ise d

. S e e Sh o rte r v

.

Wa t e r s

, 2 75 Ga

. a t 58 4

. In a d d itio n to tria l c o un se l’s fa ilu re to se c u re th e

Ja c k so n -De nn o tr a

n s c r ip ts to u tiliz e a s im

p e a c h m e n t e v id e nc e

, tria l c o u n se l a lso

fa ile d to c ro ss-e xa m in e th e te stify in g c o -d e fe n d a n ts o n b oth th e a c tu a l te rm s o f

th e ir p le a a g r ee me n t a n d o n th e fa c t th a t th e two m e n ha d m isre p re se n te d th e

n a tu re of th e ir a gre e m e n ts with th e S ta te

. Th o ug h th e sc o p e o f c ro sse x a m in a tio n will ra re ly su p p o rt a c la im o f in e ffe c tiv e n e ss, se e S im p so n v

. S ta te

,

2 7 7 Ga

. 3 5 6 (4 ) (b ) (5 8 9 S E2 d 9 0 ) (2 0 0 3 ), th e id e n tific a tio n o f Me to y e r wa s a

k e y issu e a t his tria l a

n d n o re a so n a

b ly c o m p e te n t a tto rn e y wo u ld h a v e e le c te d

to fo rg o c ro ss-e x a m in a tio n th a t wo uld h a v e c a st do ub t on th e c re d ib ility o f b o th

th e S ta te a n d its k e y w itn e sse s. S e e Hig gin s v

. Re nic o

, 4 7 0 F 3 d 6 24

, 6 3 2 -6 3 4

(III) (6 th Cir. 2 0 0 6 ) (c o n c lu d in g th a t tria l c ou nse l’s fa ilu re to c ro ss-e x a m in e k e y

witn e ss f o r th e S ta te c o n stitu te d d e fic ie n t p e rfo rm a n c e a n d c olle c tin g c a se s

1 0h o ld in g th e sa m e ). Tria l c o u n se l’s d e fic ie n t p e rfo rm a n c e h e re is sig n ific a n t in

lig h t o f th e u nd e rwh e lm in g c a se a g a in st Me to y e r, w h ic h wa s b a se d prim a rily o n

th e te stim o n y o f M e to y e r’s c o -d e fe n d a nts. Tria l c o u n se l’s fa ilu re p re v e n te d th e

ju ry fro m h e a r in g wh a t m o tiv e th e c o -d e fe nd a n ts h a d in te stify in g a g a in st

Me to y e r; it a lso pre v e n te d th e ju ry fro m le a rn in g th a t th e c o -d e fe n d an ts a n d th e

S ta te h a d b e e n le ss th a n fo rth c o m in g a b o ut th e ir a g r e e m e nts. S uc h a c la im

sa tisfie s b o th p ro n g s o f Stric kla n d

. 3 “ Giv e n th a t tria l c o un se l’s p e rfo rm a n c e

.

. . w a s d e fic ie n t a n d th e d e fic ie n c y pre ju d ic e d [Me to y e r’s] de fe n se

, h a d

a p p e lla te c o u n se l ra ise d th is issu e o n a p p e a l [Me to y e r] wo u ld h a v e b e e n e n title d

to a re ve rsa l o f h is a

rm e d ro b b e ry

. . . c o n v ic tio n s.” Cra wfo rd v

. Th o m p so n

,

2 7 8 Ga

. 5 1 7

, 5 2 0 (6 0 3 S E2 d 2 5 9 ) (2 0 0 4 ). Se e a lso S ta n fo rd v

. S te wa rt, 2 7 4 Ga

.

4 6 8 (2 ) (5 5 4 SE2 d 48 0 ) (2 0 0 1 ) (wh e re e rro r wo u ld h a v e m a n d a te d a n e w tria l,

p re ju d ic e is “ o b v io u s” ). As th e h a b e a s c o u rt c o rre c tly g ra n te d Me to y e r’s h a b e a s

p e titio n , th e ju d g m e n t o f th a t c o u rt is a ffirm e d

.

Ju d g m e n t a ffirm e d . All th e Ju stic e c on c u r.

3 Stric k la n d v

. Wa sh in g to n

, 4 6 6 U. S

. 6 6 8 (1 0 4 SCt 2 0 5 2

, 8 0 LE2 d 6 7 4 )

(1 9 8 4 ).

1 1