Court Opinion

ID: 9482389
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 08:48:47.113265+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:48:57.564447
License: Public Domain

BRIGHT, Senior Circuit Judge,
dissenting.
I consider it a close call whether the established incompetence of counsel created sufficient prejudice to justify habeas relief.
In my view, however, I would grant relief. The testimony of the absent witnesses, Peggy Vincent-Slake and Marita Reilly, could have provided the peg for the jury to have brought in a verdict on a lesser included offense of murder in the second degree, voluntary manslaughter or involuntary manslaughter.
Thus, I would grant habeas relief subject to the State of Iowa granting Chadwick a new trial, limited to a determination of whether the defendant is guilty as charged, including aiding and abetting, or guilty of a lesser included offense.