Dist. Ct. did not err in denying defendant’s habeas petition challenging his predatory criminal sexual assault convictions, even though defendant argued that his trial counsel was ineffective for revealing to jury during objection to prosecutor’s closing argument existence of damaging evidence regarding sperm being found on various items that had been otherwise excluded during trial. Although trial counsel’s performance was deficient, State Appellate Court could properly have found that there was no reasonable probability that outcome of trial would have been different given fact that victim’s account of charged sexual assaults was corroborated by other testimony and medical evidence, and that trial court gave jury limiting instructions regarding statements made during closing arguments.
Federal 7th Circuit Court
Criminal Court
Ineffective Assistance of Counsel