Gilreath v. Head’s Empirical Analysis
234 F.3d 547 · 2000
Citation profile
12 federal appellate · 4 state decisions
How this case has been cited
Cited by 31 later decisions — most recently January 2022 · most notably Anthony Keith Johnson v. State of Alabama (2001), Darrell Grayson v. Leslie Thompson (2001)
12 federal appellate · 4 state decisions
Later decisions citing this case, by decade. The current decade is in progress, and our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so the latest bars are undercounted — not a real decline.
Relationships
Relies on Strickland v. Washington · Williams v. Taylor · Darden v. Wainwright · Roe, Warden v. Flores-Ortega · George Smith Warden v. Lee Robbins
Most-quoted passages
The sentences later courts lift from this opinion, ranked by how many decisions quote each — the parts of the opinion doing the work. These counts are smaller than the citation total above because most of the 31 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.
“We readily conclude that trial counsel-by relying on Petitioner's instruction not to present mitigating mental health and alcohol abuse evidence-did not perform in an unreasonable manner.”
2 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority“West also contends that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to argue, as a statutory mitigating circumstance[,] that West did not have a significant criminal history. See § 13A-5-51(l), Ala.Code. 1975. West contends that had counsel argued this mitigating circumstance to the jury, it would have returned a life without parole recommendation. West’s claim is without merit and is denied. It is undisputed that trial counsel did not argue that West did not have a significant criminal history. However, trial counsel’s failure to argue this statutory mitigating circumstance is reasonable for two reasons. First, as explained above in greater detail, West ordered trial counsel not to present any mitigating evidence. Clearly, at the time of his trial and sentencing, West wanted to be sentenced to death instead of spending the next 60 or 70 years of his life in prison. (EH.91-92) While one may personally disagree with West’s decision, it was his decision to make. As Mr. Floyd testified, West repeatedly instructed counsel not to present any mitigating evidence on his behalf. (EH.88-89) Moreover, it is not illogical for a defendant to prefer life on death row over spending the remainder of his life in the general prison population. West did not present any evidence or testimony that his instructions to counsel were not knowing or voluntary. As such, counsel was bound to follow their client’s wishes, irregardless of their own beliefs. “When a competent defendant knowingly and volunta”
1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority“First, Petitioner must show a reasonable probability that — if Petitioner had been advised more fully about character evidence or if trial counsel had requested a continuance — Petitioner would have authorized trial counsel to permit such-evidence at sentencing. Second, Petitioner must establish that, if such evidence had been presented at sentencing, a reasonable probability exists that the jury would have concluded that the balance of aggravating and mitigating circumstances did not warrant death.”
1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
How this case has been treated — in progress
Whether each later court followed, distinguished, criticized, or overruled this decision. The treatment classification (task #35) runs highest-cited cases first and lights up here as it reaches this one.