Opinion ID: 12712
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: State Habeas Review of Rector's Brady Claim

Text: 37 In its March 1988 rejection of Rector's Brady claim, the state habeas court (the trial judge who presided over Rector's criminal prosecution) concluded that Stillwell's statement was neither relevant nor material to any issue or defense raised in Rector's trial. The state court relied on the written confession of Rector's co-defendant, Howard Ray Simon (who subsequently escaped from prison and was shot and killed during a robbery attempt in Louisiana), which implicated Rector as the trigger man; 8 Rector's failure to explain adequately to the police his possession of jewelry belonging to Davis as well as possession of a .22 caliber pistol with two spent rounds; Rector's failure to file a more specific Brady request; and the lack of corroboration between Rector's statement of events to police and Stillwell's statement to Officer Anderson. 38