Lisa Joyce Rubin v. Archie Gee, Director J. Joseph Curran, Jr.

Today this court grants a writ of habeas corpus to Lisa Joyce Rubin, who, it concedes, unquestionably “shot and killed her husband,” and whom a Maryland jury convicted of first-degree murder. The court grants habeas relief to Rubin (an honors college graduate) on the theory that she received ineffective assistance of counsel at her trial. Yet for six months prior to that trial, a team of three lawyers specializing in criminal law planned her defense and formulated trial strategy; this team represented Rubin at trial, examining witnesses, making objections, and asserting legal arguments on her…