John Hudson v. Tony Gammon

MORRIS SHEPPARD ARNOLD, Circuit Judge.

Missouri inmate John Hudson appeals the district court’s denial of his 28 U.S.C. § 2254 petition. We reverse and remand.

Following a jury trial, Hudson was convicted of four counts of first degree robbery. He filed this pro se habeas petition alleging various constitutional violations, including the denial of effective assistance of counsel and the denial of an impartial jury. After reviewing transcripts of the state court proceedings in which these issues were raised and without conducting an evidentiary hearing, the magistrate judge recommended denying…