Ernest John Dobbert v. Charles E. Strickland, Jr.

Petitioner, a state prisoner scheduled for electrocution on February 2, 1982, filed a motion to stay the execution of sentence in this case pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2251. Because of time constraints, the motion was considered and granted before the panel had time to prepare a written opinion.

At about 7:30 p. m. on Saturday, January 30, 1982, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida denied petitioner’s petition for writ of habeas corpus in a 32-page opinion. The following grounds for relief were considered:

1. insufficiency of the evidence;

2. refusal to consider…