Reginald L. Powell v. Michael S. Bowersox

MORRIS SHEPPARD ARNOLD, Circuit Judge.

Reginald Powell, a Missouri inmate convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to death on both counts, appeals from the district court’s 1 denial of his petition under 28 U.S.C. § 2254. We affirm.

I

On November 14, 1986, Mr. Powell unexpectedly encountered Calvin Courtney, his stepbrother. Upon recognizing Mr. Courtney, Mr. Powell said, “Oh, I didn’t know who it was, because we were getting ready to rob you,” and “Man, I have been around all day robbing people.” Accompanying Mr. Courtney were brothers Freddie and Lee Miller, who earlier…