Rick Rhoades v. Lorie Davis, Director

PATRICK E. HIGGINBOTHAM, Circuit Judge:

In 1992 a Texas jury convicted Rick Allan Rhoades of capital murder and he received a death sentence. After direct appeals and filing an unsuccessful state *362 habeas petition, Rhoades petitioned for federal habeas relief. The district court denied his petition and declined to issue a certificate of appealability ("COA"). We granted a COA on three of Rhoades's claims, accepted further briefing, and heard oral argument. We now affirm the district court's denial of his petition.

I

On the morning of September 13, 1991, the bodies of brothers Charles and Bradley…