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Criminal Procedure Keyed to Ohlin
House v. Bell
Citation:
547 U.S. 518 (2006)Facts
The State of Tennessee charged House with capital murder. At House’s trial, the State presented testimony by several individuals including law enforcement officials. Through TBI agents, the jury learned of House’s false statements. Central to the State’s case, however, was what the FBI testing showed – that semen consistent with House’s was present on Mrs. Muncey’s nightgown and panties and that small bloodstains consistent with Mrs. Muncey’s blood but not House’s appeared on the jeans belonging to House. The State stated that after defense counsel questioned House’s motive to go over and kill a woman that he barely knew, who was still dressed, still clad in her clothes, the prosecutor referred to the semen stains. While explaining that legally it does not make any difference, what the motive was, the prosecutor told the jury, “you may have an idea why he did it.” House filed a post-conviction petition in state court asserting his ineffective-assistance claim, but was denied. House sought federal habeas relief. The district court denied relief.
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