Robert W. Odem v. Frank X. Hopkins, Warden, Thomas J. Miller, Attorney General of the State of Iowa

DORR, District Judge.

Appellants appeal from the decision of the district court granting Robert W. Odem’s amended petition for habeas corpus relief on a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel. For the reasons stated below, we reverse the district court.

I. Background

Robert W. Odem (“Odem”) was convicted of two counts of first degree murder for the murders of Bill and Kimberly Smith and received a sentence of life without the possibility of parole. Odem filed a direct appeal, which was denied, and a state post-conviction action, which was also denied, as was the related appeal. Odem filed a…