Howard Atkins v. James Holloway

OPINION

SILER, Circuit Judge.

Petitioner Howard Atkins appeals the district court’s denial of his petition for a writ of habeas corpus under 28 U.S.C. § 2254. For the following reasons, we reverse in part and affirm in part.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

In 2000; Atkins, who was sixteen at the time, returned to his mother’s and stepfather’s home after spending a weekend with his father. Atkins’s step-father was outside the house and his mother was inside crying. The step-father directed Atkins to “[g]o in there and take care of your mother like you always do.” According to Atkins, his…