William Weaver, Appellee/cross-Appellant v. Michael Bowersox, Appellant/cross-Appellee

MELLOY, Circuit Judge.

The State of Missouri appeals the grant of habeas relief to William Weaver. The district court1 concluded that the prosecutor’s closing arguments during the penalty phase of Weaver’s capital murder trial violated the United States Constitution. Weaver cross-appeals the denial of his claim that the prosecutor made improper closing arguments during the guilt phase of the trial. We affirm.

I

In separate Missouri state court trials held in 1988, William Weaver and Daryl Shurn were convicted of the execution-style shooting death of Charles Taylor. Taylor was an acquaintance of…