Robert Frederick Garceau v. Jeanne Woodford, Acting Warden of San Quentin State Prison

Opinion by Judge TASHIMA; Concurrence by Judge THOMAS; Partial Concurrence and Partial Dissent by Judge O’SCANNLAIN.

TASHIMA, Circuit Judge:

Robert Garceau was convicted of a double homicide in California state court and sentenced to death. The California Supreme Court affirmed his conviction and sentence, People v. Garceau, 6 Cal.4th 140, 24 Cal.Rptr.2d 664, 862 P.2d 664 (1993), cert. denied, 513 U.S. 848, 115 S.Ct. 144, 130 L.Ed.2d 84 (1994), and denied his state habeas petition on the merits. He then filed a habeas petition in federal district court, raising 28 separate grounds for relief.…