Bowen, Warden v. Noel

313 Ga. 92

FINAL COPY S21A1133. BOWEN v. NOEL. PETERSON, Justice. Rodney Noel was granted habeas relief from his conviction for murdering nine-month-old Terrell Williams (“Terrell”). The habeas court held that Noel’s appellate counsel provided ineffective assistance for two related reasons: (1) counsel failed to challenge the trial court’s denial of Noel’s right to impeach his intimate partner and Terrell’s mother, Crystal Williams (“Williams”), using three prior violent acts by her, and (2) counsel failed to assert Noel’s right to use these acts as proof that Williams, not Noel, killed…