No. 20-5360

Reinaldo Dennes v. Bobby Lumpkin, Director, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Correctional Institutions Division

Lower Court: Fifth Circuit
Docketed: 2020-08-14
Status: Denied
Type: IFP
IFP
Tags: brady-evidence brady-violation cause-and-prejudice circuit-split cullen-v-pinholster due-diligence due-process evidence-suppression habeas-corpus napue-evidence prosecutorial-misconduct witness-credibility
Key Terms:
DueProcess HabeasCorpus
Latest Conference: 2020-12-04
Question Presented (from Petition)

Given the extreme facts of this case, should this Court finally turn to footnote 10 and Justice Sotomayor's dissenting opinion in Cullen v. Pinholster to hold that facts only disclosed after state court proceedings which give rise to claims under Brady and Napue must either be considered by federal courts in adjudicating the merits of those claims, or they must be returned to state court for first adjudication there?

Should the Court grant certiorari to settle a conflict amongst the circuits as to the answer to question 1?

Should the Court settle the confusion in the lower courts, both state and federal, concerning whether the lower court should have denied the Brady claim here in reliance on the (unsubstantiated) view that Mr. Dennes knew or should have known that the State's chief witness against him was a long-time informant for the Houston Police Department, imposing a Brady due diligence requirement in excess of this Court's Banks and Saickler diligence requirements?

Question Presented (AI Summary)

Should newly discovered Brady/Napue evidence be considered by federal courts or returned to state court?

Docket Entries

2020-12-07
Petition DENIED.
2020-11-18
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 12/4/2020.
2020-10-30
Brief of respondent Lorie Davis in opposition filed.
2020-10-14
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including October 30, 2020.
2020-10-13
Motion to extend the time to file a response from October 15, 2020 to October 30, 2020, submitted to The Clerk.
2020-09-14
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including October 15, 2020.
2020-09-11
Motion to extend the time to file a response from September 14, 2020 to October 15, 2020, submitted to The Clerk.
2020-08-03
Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due September 14, 2020)

Attorneys

Lorie Davis
Rachel Leigh PattonOffice of the Attorney General, Respondent
Reinaldo Dennes
Kenneth W McGuireMcGuire Law Firm, Petitioner