Topic: Strickland standard

Thornell v. Jones:  Federal courts cannot ignore weighty aggravating evidence in applying Strickland prejudice standard

By Greg Mermelstein, Deputy Director & General Counsel, Missouri Public Defender            The Ninth Circuit improperly ignored the weight of aggravating evidence in finding that a death-sentenced defendant was prejudiced under Strickland’s standard for ineffective assistance of counsel, the U.S. Supreme Court held May 30 in Thornell v. Jones. Facts            Danny Jones killed a […]