Stanford v. Stewart

Thompson, Justice.

We granted Jerome Stanford a certificate of probable cause to appeal from the denial of his petition for writ of habeas corpus. Because Stanford has demonstrated that he received ineffective assistance of counsel, both at trial and on appeal, we reverse.

A jury convicted Stanford of one count of arson in the first degree based on evidence that he intentionally set fire to the apartment residence of his girlfriend. His conviction was affirmed by the Court of Appeals. Stanford v. State, 236 Ga. App. 597 (512 SE2d 708) (1999). Stanford sought a writ of habeas corpus in the…