Griffin v. State

Defendant pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and was sentenced to death in 1998 on both murder counts. The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's convictions and death sentences. Defendant subsequently filed a postconviction motion and a number of amended motions. Defendant also filed a motion to withdraw his guilty plea. In 2008, the trial court granted Defendant a new penalty phase proceeding based on the claim of ineffective assistance of counsel during the penalty phase but denied the remaining claims and Defendant's motion to withdraw his guilty plea. Defendant appealed and also petitioned the Supreme Court for a writ of habeas corpus, claiming his death sentence was disparate and disproportionate based on newly discovered evidence. The Supreme Court (1) affirmed the trial court's order denying relief on the claims relating to Defendant's guilty plea and an alleged Brady violation and granting relief on the claim of ineffective assistance of counsel in the penalty phase; and (2) denied Defendant's petition for habeas relief, holding that the claim in the petition should have been raised in the postconviction motion at the trial court and was therefore procedurally barred. View "Griffin v. State" on Justia Law