Whether the Strickland standard should be applied in favor of the defendant in a case with no direct evidence connecting the defendant to the crime except the introduction of evidence of other crimes or bad acts

QUESTION PRESENTED CAPITAL CASE Whether in a case with no direct evidence connecting the defendant to the crime except the introduction of evidence of other crimes or bad acts, the Strickland standard in evaluating trial counsel’s effectiveness in light of all the circumstances at trial, should be applied in favor of the defendant? ii NOTICE OF RELATED CASES Per Supreme Court Rule 14.1(b)(iii), the following cases relate to this petition: Underlying Trial: Circuit Court of Polk County, Florida State of Florida v. Leon Davis, Case No. 2007-CF-009613 Judgment entered: November 30, 2012 Direct Appeal: Florida Supreme Court (No. SC13-1) Davis v. State, 207 So. 8d 177 (Fla. 2016) Judgment entered: November 10, 2016 Rehearing denied: January 5, 2017 Petition for Writ of Certiorari Denied: Supreme Court of the United States (16-8570) Davis v. Florida, 581 U.S. 1020 (2017) Cert denied: June 5, 2017 Postconviction Proceedings: Circuit Court of Polk County, Florida Davis v. State, 2007-CF-009613 Judgment entered: November 29, 2021 Florida Supreme Court (Nos. SC21—1779; SC22-883) Davis v. State, 383 So. 3d 743 (Fla. 2024) Judgment entered: February 1, 2024 Rehearing denied: March 22, 2024 iii