Doyle J. Williams v. Bill Armontrout

BRIGHT, Senior Circuit Judge.

On September 17, 1981, a jury in Clay County, Missouri, convicted Doyle J. Williams of capital murder and sentenced him to death. After a long and circuitous appeal in the state courts to exhaust his claims, Williams petitioned the district court for a writ of habeas corpus. Williams now appeals the district court’s denial of the writ. For the reasons stated below, we direct the district court to issue the writ vacating Williams’ death sentence, but leave to the State of Missouri the choice of resentencing Williams on a lesser charge or retrying the capital murder…