Stanley D. Lingar v. Al Luebbers
Opinion of the Court
JUDGMENT
Having considered the motions and application filed on behalf of Stanley D. Lin-gar, the court makes the following rulings. (1) Lingar’s motion to authorize the filing of a successive habeas corpus petition is denied. (2) Lingar’s application for stay of execution pending application of his motion for leave to file a successive habeas corpus petition is denied. (3) Lingar’s motion for appointment of counsel is granted.
It is so ordered.
Concurring Opinion
concurring and writing separately.
I have serious doubts as to whether Stanley D. Lingar is entitled to the relief that he seeks in this motion. I continue to believe strongly, however, that Lingar’s counsel was ineffective in telling the jury in the sentencing phase of Lingar’s trial that it could only consider statutory mitigating factors. As I stated previously in Lingar v. Bowersox, 176 F.3d 453, 462 (8th Cir. 1999) (Heaney, J., dissenting):
The jury could and should have been given the opportunity [to] consider all mitigating factors, including a history of sexual abuse, substance abuse, and blackouts; a mental evaluation revealing borderline mental retardation, acute paranoid and depressive disorders; expression of remorse; and indications that Lingar was a good candidate for rehabilitation. Lingar was clearly prejudiced by his counsel’s failure to develop and present this evidence. There is no reasonable probability that • a jury advised of these circumstances would have imposed the death sentence on this 20-year-old, mentally retarded and mentally disturbed young man.
It is my hope that the United States Supreme Court, who now has this case pending before it on a petition for certiora-ri, will consider the whole record and give Lingar the relief he seeks, but for the reasons stated in my dissent in Lingar.
The mandate shall issue forthwith.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Stanley D. LINGAR, Petitioner, v. Al LUEBBERS, Respondent
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published