Williams v. Cavazos

Tara Williams is in prison for life following her conviction of murder after a California state trial judge dismissed a lone holdout juror who favored acquittal, and the state appellate court affirmed that dismissal. The majority now affirms, holding that the state appellate court’s finding that the trial judge dismissed the holdout juror for being unwilling to follow the law was not subject to reversal under § 2254 of AEDPA.

There is one problem, however — the trial court did not dismiss Williams for being unwilling to follow the law. To the contrary, the trial court’s reasoning is plain:…