Carlos G. Williams v. A.L. Lockhart, Director, Arkansas Department of Correction

ROSS, Circuit Judge.

Carlos Williams was convicted in Arkansas state court of burglary and theft of property. He exhausted his state remedies and sought habeas relief under 28 U.S.C. § 2254. The federal district court dismissed his petition without an evidentiary hearing.

Williams now appeals, contending that he is entitled to habeas relief on the following grounds:

1) he was denied a trial before a fair and impartial jury because the trial court failed to remove a juror who stated during voir dire that she would consider him guilty if he did not take the stand;

2) in closing argument, the…