Stirling v. Stokes
Petition for certiorari granted, judgment vacated, and case remanded to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit for further
consideration in light of Shinn v. Martinez Ramirez, on May 31, 2022
Issues: (1) Whether the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit violated basic principles of
Strickland v. Washington when it
failed to reweigh the whole of the evidence in its
prejudice analysis in Sammie Stokes' habeas action to determine if there was a
reasonable probability of a different result; (2) whether the 4th Circuit erred in granting relief on a
defaulted ineffective-assistance-of-trial-counsel claim
when trial counsel had reasonable strategic reasons not
to pursue a “bad upbringing” mitigation defense and
collateral counsel had reasonable strategic reasons not
to pursue an ineffective-assistance-of-trial-counsel
claim; and (3) alternatively, whether this case should be held pending
the outcome of Shinn v. Ramirez, argued
Dec. 8, 2021.
