Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/boundvolumes/529bv.pdf
Page Number: 491

529US2

Unit: $U46

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416

WILLIAMS v. TAYLOR

Opinion of Rehnquist, C. J.

Court noted the existence of “friends, neighbors and family
of [Williams] who would have testiﬁed that he had redeeming
qualities.”
Id., at 423. Based on its consideration of all of
this evidence, the same trial judge that originally found Wil-
liams’ death sentence “ ‘justiﬁed and warranted,’ ” id., at 155,
concluded that trial counsel’s deﬁcient performance preju-
diced Williams, id., at 424, and accordingly recommended
that Williams be granted a new sentencing hearing, ibid.
The Virginia Supreme Court’s decision reveals an obvious
failure to consider the totality of the omitted mitigation evi-
dence. See 254 Va., at 26, 487 S. E. 2d, at 200 (“At most, this
evidence would have shown that numerous people, mostly
relatives, thought that [Williams] was nonviolent and could
cope very well in a structured environment”). For that rea-
son, and the remaining factors discussed in the Court’s opin-
ion, I believe that the Virginia Supreme Court’s decision “in-
volved an unreasonable application of . . . clearly established
Federal law, as determined by the Supreme Court of the
United States.”

Accordingly, although I disagree with the interpretation of
§ 2254(d)(1) set forth in Part II of Justice Stevens’ opinion,
I join Parts I, III, and IV of the Court’s opinion and concur
in the judgment of reversal.

Chief Justice Rehnquist, with whom Justice Scalia
and Justice Thomas join, concurring in part and dissenting
in part.

I agree with the Court’s interpretation of 28 U. S. C.
§ 2254(d)(1) (1994 ed., Supp. III), see ante, at 402–413 (opinion
of O’Connor, J.), but disagree with its decision to grant ha-
beas relief in this case.

There is “clearly established Federal law, as determined
by [this Court]” that governs petitioner’s claim of ineffective
assistance of counsel: Strickland v. Washington, 466 U. S.
668 (1984). Thus, we must determine whether the Virginia