Harvey M. Sanders v. Michael Fair

BREYER, Circuit Judge.

This appeal from a federal district court decision denying appellant Sanders’ petition for a writ of habeas corpus arises out of his state court trial for rape. At the trial Sanders’ counsel, noting that his client was black and the victim was white, asked permission to question prospective jurors individually about possible racial prejudice. The trial judge felt that, under the circumstances, individual questioning was not required, though he himself raised the issue of racial prejudice generally with the panel of prospective jurors. The jury convicted Sanders and he…