U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 2012

Carl Lewis v. David Runnels

Carl Lewis v. David Runnels
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit · Decided April 25, 2012 · Kozinski, McKEOWN, Smith
472 F. App'x 778

Carl Lewis v. David Runnels

Opinion

MEMORANDUM *

A. The district court did not commit clear error in its determination that the prosecutor provided credible, race neutral reasons for excluding two African-American women from the jury and that he was not motivated by racial bias. See Felkner v. Jackson, — U.S.-, 131 S.Ct. 1305, 1307, 179 L.Ed.2d 374 (2011). Therefore, Lewis failed to establish “purposeful discrimination.” See Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79, 90, 106 S.Ct. 1712, 90 L.Ed.2d 69 (1986).

B. The California Court of Appeal’s determination that the special circumstance jury instruction (California Jury Instruction-Criminal 8.80.1) complied with Tison v. Arizona, 481 U.S. 137, 107 S.Ct. 1676, 95 L.Ed.2d 127 (1987), “was [not] contrary to,” and did not “involve[ ] an unreasonable application of, clearly established” Supreme Court precedent. 28 U.S.C. § 2254(d)(1). Even assuming error in the instruction, the error would not have “a substantial and injurious effect,” Brecht v. Abrahamson, 507 U.S. 619, 637, 113 S.Ct. 1710, 123 L.Ed.2d 353 (1993), because there was sufficient evidence for the jury to conclude that Lewis was the actual killer, Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 319, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979).

AFFIRMED.

*

This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent except as provided by 9th Cir. R. 36-3.

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