Opinion ID: 626118
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Harmless error and fundamental fairness

Text: Even if a confrontation-clause violation had occurred, we would not grant Jordan's habeas petition unless the state trial court's ruling was more than a harmless error. See Lewis v. Wilkinson, 307 F.3d 413, 420 (6th Cir.2002) (This court's duty is not to determine whether the exclusion of the evidence by the trial judge was correct or incorrect under state law, but rather whether such exclusion rendered petitioner's trial so fundamentally unfair as to constitute a denial of federal constitutional rights. (internal quotation marks omitted)). We review de novo the district court's determination that an error was harmless. Calvert v. Wilson, 288 F.3d 823, 832-33 (6th Cir.2002). An error is not harmless if it had a substantial and injurious effect or influence in determining the jury's verdict. Brecht v. Abrahamson, 507 U.S. 619, 637, 113 S.Ct. 1710, 123 L.Ed.2d 353 (1993) (internal quotation marks omitted). Jordan admits that the testimony about C.A.'s virginity was not relevant to the issues at trial, since his defense theory involved the wholesale denial of any sexual activity rather than a challenge to her lack of consent. A few brief questions about an admittedly collateral topic would not likely have a substantial influence on the jury's verdict. See Jordan v. Hurley, 397 F.3d 360, 364 (6th Cir.2005) (Jordan's inability to impeach the victim did not have a substantial and injurious effect or influence in determining the verdict); Whiteside, 2003 WL 21360247, at  (The fact that S.W. had no sexual relations with any other person was neither inflammatory nor prejudicial.). Jordan has not presented any argument to the contrary. Moreover, the State had not yet been informed of Jordan's defense theory at the time of C.A.'s direct examination and, according to its counsel's assertions at oral argument, still believed that Jordan might argue that C.A. consented to the sexual activity. In sum, we find no basis to question the resolution of this case by the Ohio courts. The district court therefore did not err in denying Jordan's petition for a writ of habeas corpus.