Hamilton v. Ayers

WARDLAW, Circuit Judge:

Michael Allen Hamilton, a California death row inmate, appeals from the district court’s denial of his pre-AEDPA petition for a writ of habeas corpus challenging his 1982 conviction and death penalty sentence for multiple counts of first-degree murder. We deny Hamilton’s claims for relief as to the guilt phase. However, we conclude that Hamilton’s trial counsel was constitutionally ineffective at the penalty phase for failing to investigate and present to the jury the wealth of classic mitigating evidence that was available to him. Accordingly, we reverse and remand for…