Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/boundvolumes/558bv.pdf
Page Number: 162.0

CASES ADJUDGED 

IN THE 

SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES 

AT
 

OCTOBER TERM, 2009
 

CORCORAN  v.  LEVENHAGEN,  SUPERINTENDENT, 
INDIANA  STATE  PRISON 

on  petition  for  writ  of  certiorari  to  the  united 
states court of appeals for the seventh circuit 

No. 08–10495.  Decided October 20, 2009 

Petitioner  was  convicted  of  murder  and  sentenced  to  death  in  an  Indiana 
state  court.  Petitioner  sought  habeas  relief  in  the  Federal  District 
Court.  Petitioner advanced ﬁve arguments that his death sentence was 
unlawful, including a claim that his sentence violated the Sixth Amend­
ment.  Without  addressing  petitioner’s  other  arguments,  the  District 
Court granted relief on petitioner’s Sixth Amendment claim.  The Sev­
enth  Circuit  reversed  the  Sixth  Amendment  ruling,  remanded  with  in­
structions to deny habeas relief, and stated that Indiana could reinstate 
the  death  penalty.  The  Court  of  Appeals  did  not  address  petitioner’s 
other  sentencing  claims.  In  denying  a  petition  for  rehearing,  the  Sev­
enth  Circuit  rejected  petitioner’s  argument  that  the  District  Court 
should be permitted to consider his other claims. 

Held:  The Court of Appeals erred in disposing of petitioner’s other claims 
without  any  explanation.  It  should  have  permitted  the  District  Court 
to  consider  petitioner’s  unresolved  challenges  to  his  death  sentence  on 
remand,  or  should  have  itself  explained  why  such  consideration  was 
unnecessary. 

Certiorari granted; 551 F. 3d 703, vacated and remanded. 

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