Opinion ID: 1390030
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Court DENIES the Claim of Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Regarding Hair Evidence

Text: This Court accords deference to the California Supreme Court decision denying Petitioner's claim on the merits. 28 U.S.C. § 2254(d). The state court's denial of Petitioner's claim on the merits is not contrary to federal law as enunciated by the United States Supreme Court in Strickland and does not rest on an unreasonable determination of the facts within the meaning of 28 U.S.C. § 2254(d). As both the California Supreme Court and this Court have already expressly found, Petitioner `received an extraordinarily vigorous and able defense.' Cooper I, 92-CV-427, Aug. 25, 1997 Order at 8 (quoting Cooper, 53 Cal.3d at 824, 281 Cal.Rptr. 90, 809 P.2d 865). Defense trial counsel's extensive educational background and prior litigation experience were developed in the evidentiary hearing before this Court in Cooper I, 92-CV-427, Aug. 25, 1997 Order at 8. Moreover, both this Court and the California Supreme Court found the combination of evidence of Petitioner's guilt to be overwhelming. Cooper I, 92-CV-427, Aug. 25, 1997 Order at 8 (quoting Cooper, 53 Cal.3d at 836, 281 Cal.Rptr. 90, 809 P.2d 865). Accordingly, the California Supreme Court's decision rejecting the merits of Petitioner's claim is not contrary to federal law, nor an unreasonable determination of the facts, since defense counsel was not deficient, nor was Petitioner prejudiced by his attorney's failure to pursue an erroneous theory. This Court therefore DENIES this claim pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254(d).