Clarke v. Spencer, No. 08-2476

Petition for habeas relief by a defendant convicted of kidnapping and rape is denied where: 1) the prosecutor's questions did not directly or indirectly suggest that defendant might have invoked his right to remain silent; 2) defendant's double-jeopardy claim fails on its merits, and thus, his trial attorney was not constitutionally deficient in failing to raise the issue nor did the failure prejudice defendant; and 3) defendant failed to establish that habeas relief is warranted under his collateral-estoppel claim.       

Read Clarke v. Spencer, No. 08-2476

Appellate Information

On Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts

Decided September 22, 2009

Judges

Before: Lynch, Chief Judge,  Torruella, and Ebel, Circuit Judges.   

Opinion Ebel, Circuit Judge

Counsel

For Appellant: Victoria L. Nadel

For Appellee:  Susanne G. Reardon, Assistant Attorney General, Martha Coakley, Attorney General