No. 18-8895

Kevin Watkins v. Massachusetts

Lower Court: Massachusetts
Docketed: 2019-04-18
Status: Denied
Type: IFP
Response WaivedIFP
Tags: appellate-counsel civil-rights conflicted-jurors conflicts-of-interest criminal-procedure double-jeopardy due-process ineffective-assistance ineffective-assistance-of-counsel jury-selection open-trial
Key Terms:
FifthAmendment CriminalProcedure HabeasCorpus
Latest Conference: 2019-05-23
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Is a defendant's right to an open trial violated when an attorney observing the trial and was asked to assist with defendant's appeal, was barred from observing the jury selection, and such bar resulted in the waiver of defendant's rights to challenge conflicted jurors on appeal?

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

QUESTIONS PRESENTED 1. Isa defendant's right to an open trial violated when an attorney observing the trial and was asked to assist with defendant's appeal, was barred from observing the jury selection, and such bar resulted in the waiver of defendant's rights to challenge conflicted jurors on appeal? 2. Is the failure of appellate counsel to review transcripts of jury selection where a biased juror was seated, and therefore not raise on direct appeal, ineffective assistance of counsel? 3. Can a conviction stand when an identically worded indictment with the same time, place, and alleged acts has previously ended with an acquittal? 4. Can this Court ignore serious conflicts of interest and quid pro quo deals impacting the case at bar made in the courts below? Ui 2

Docket Entries

2019-05-28
Petition DENIED.
2019-05-08
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 5/23/2019.
2019-04-30
Waiver of right of respondent Massachussetts to respond filed.
2018-11-26
Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due May 20, 2019)
2018-09-26
Application (18A312) granted by Justice Breyer extending the time to file until November 26, 2018.
2018-09-17
Application (18A312) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from September 27, 2018 to November 26, 2018, submitted to Justice Breyer.

Attorneys

Kevin Watkins
Kevin Watkins — Petitioner
Massachussetts
Thomas Edward BocianOffice of the Massachusetts Attorney General, Respondent