Pagan v. Vidal

MEMORANDUM OF DECISION

RYA W. ZOBEL, SENIOR UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Petitioner Juan Pagan petitions under 28 U.S.C. § 2254 for a writ of habeas corpus. Docket # 1. He alleges that his right to a public trial was violated because the public was excluded from jury empan-elment and that his counsel was ineffective for failing to object to the courtroom closure. The Commonwealth moves to dismiss this petition, claiming that the public trial violation claim was defaulted in state court and that petitioner’s ineffective assistance of counsel claim cannot provide cause to excuse this default.…