{"ID":55660,"name":"Thaler v. Haynes","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/cases\/2009\/09-273","view_count":0,"docket_number":"09-273","additional_docket_numbers":null,"manner_of_jurisdiction":"Writ of \u003Ci\u003Ecertiorari\u003C\/i\u003E","first_party":"Rick Thaler, Director, Texas Department of Criminal Justice","second_party":"Anthony Cardell Haynes","timeline":[{"event":"Granted","dates":[1266818400],"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/case_timeline\/case_timeline\/40439"},{"event":"Decided","dates":[1266818400],"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/case_timeline\/case_timeline\/40440"}],"lower_court":{"ID":10,"name":"United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/taxonomy\/term\/10"},"facts_of_the_case":"\u003Cp\u003EAnthony Cardell Haynes was tried in a Texas state court for the murder of a police officer. The state sought the death penalty. During \u003Cem\u003Evoir dire\u003C\/em\u003E, two separate judges presided at different stages. One judge presided when the attorneys questioned the prospective jurors individually, the other judge presided when preemptory challenges were exercised. When the prosecutor struck an African-American juror, Mr. Thaler\u0027s attorney made a \u003Cem\u003EBatson\u003C\/em\u003E objection -- arguing that the strike was racially motivated. The judge, who was not present during jury interviews, found that the strike was race neutral and denied the \u003Cem\u003EBatson\u003C\/em\u003E objection. The case proceeded to trial and Mr. Haynes was convicted and sentenced to death.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOn appeal, Mr. Haynes argued that \u0022a trial judge who did not witness the actual \u003Cem\u003Evoir dire\u003C\/em\u003E cannot, as a matter of law, fairly evaluate a \u003Cem\u003EBatson\u003C\/em\u003E challenge.\u0022 The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals rejected the argument and affirmed the conviction. Mr. Haynes then filed for and was denied habeas corpus relief by a Texas federal district court. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit granted review. It held that the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals made an unreasonable application of U.S. Supreme Court precedent in its decision and Mr. Haynes warranted federal habeas corpus relief.\u003C\/p\u003E\n","question":"\u003Cp\u003E1) Does \u003Cem\u003EBatson v. Kentucky\u003C\/em\u003E entitle a defendant to a new trial because the trial judge observed the prosecutor\u0027s explanation for the juror strike but did not observe the jury interviews?\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E2) Does \u003Cem\u003ESnyder v. Louisiana\u003C\/em\u003E entitle a defendant to a new trial -- even when a prosecutor struck a prospective juror based on her friendly demeanor to defense counsel and not race -- because the trial judge observed the prosecutor\u0027s explanation for the strike but did not observe the jury interviews?\u003C\/p\u003E\n","conclusion":"\u003Cp\u003ENo and No. In a per curiam opinion, the Supreme Court reversed the Fifth Circuit and held that neither \u003Cem\u003EBatson\u003C\/em\u003E nor \u003Cem\u003ESnyder\u003C\/em\u003E require that a demeanor-based explanation must be rejected if the judge did not observe or cannot recall the juror\u0027s demeanor. The Court remanded the case to the Fifth Circuit for proceedings consistent with the opinion. Moreover, the Court instructed that the Fifth Circuit may consider whether the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals\u0027 determination may be overcome under the federal habeas statute\u0027s standard for reviewing a state court\u0027s resolution of questions of fact.\u003C\/p\u003E\n","advocates":null,"oral_argument_audio":null,"citation":{"volume":"559","page":"43","year":"2010","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/case_citation\/case_citation\/19582"},"decisions":[{"description":null,"votes":[{"member":{"ID":15086,"name":"John G. Roberts, Jr.","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/john_g_roberts_jr","view_count":0,"last_name":"Roberts","roles":[{"id":2730,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":1127970000,"date_end":0,"appointing_president":"George W. 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