davis davis case supreme_court united_states upheld death sentence hispanic defendant despite fact blacks excluded jury defendant trial case involved corpus petition submitted arrested tried late 1980s alleged murder individuals attempted robbery automobile body shop san_diego california april trial prosecution challenges strike black hispanic available jury service trial court judge allowed prosecution explain basis challenges outside presence counsel disclose trial strategy ultimately sentenced death filed appeals challenging trial court decision exclude counsel hearings opinion written justice supreme_court held trial court committed error error harmless suffer actual prejudice justice wrote opinion argued sentence reversed exclusion counsel hearings substantially influenced outcome case additionally justice wrote separate opinion questioned placement solitary confinement response justice thomas wrote opinion stated accommodations far sight victims rest commentators described case important note likely significant effect similar cases future analysts described outcome particularly justice kennedy opinion received significant coverage media analysts suggested solitary confinement new commentator described justice kennedy opinion single surprising development term legal background challenges kentucky supreme_court united_states held violation fourteenth amendment united_states_constitution occurs prosecutors use challenges exclude basis race defendant prosecutor challenged prospective basis race process known challenge trial courts conduct analysis challenge question defendant showing challenge exercised basis race second showing prosecution offer race neutral basis striking question light parties submissions trial court determine defendant shown discrimination court sustain challenge elements test satisfied appeal trial court findings respect challenge reversed trial court judge committed clear error additionally supreme_court united_states held findings respect prosecutor explanation reasons use challenges entitled great right petition writ corpus federal law individuals convicted crimes state law individuals right challenge convictions federal court writ corpus right codified corpus act held state court rules prisoner individual right seek review constitutional claims federal court wake bombing congress passed modify federal corpus procedures new standards prisoner claim state court individual petition corpus shall granted state court decision contrary involved application clearly established federal law determined supreme_court united_states held relief demonstrate evidence state court error resulted actual prejudice federal harmless error doctrine supreme_court united_states identified narrow range errors require automatic reversal errors decision lower court upheld error harmless supreme_court ruled california constitutional error considered harmless court able declare belief harmless reasonable doubt additionally reviewing federal corpus petitions demonstrate error substantial effect influence determining jury verdict supreme_court ruled reviewing determination reviewing court grant petition corpus determination according supreme_court rationale underlying doctrine public policy concern states courts forced undertake task criminal defendants based mere speculation defendant trial error arrest trial charged counts murder allegedly occurred attempted robbery automobile body shop san_diego california april jury selection prosecution challenges strike black hispanic available jury service hispanic descent filed series challenges contest prosecution use challenges trial judge permitted prosecution explain basis challenges closed hearing outside presence counsel disclose trial strategy trial court ultimately concluded challenges based race neutral criteria convicted counts murder august jury returned sentence death murder convictions trial judge entered judgment consistent jury sentence direct appeal upheld conviction sentence noting trial judge committed error considering defense challenges error harmless reasonable doubt subsequently filed petition corpus denied district court judge appeal granted petition holding denied process trial trial court error harmless supreme_court united_states granted review ruling majority opinion justice held exclusion counsel hearings harmless error justice emphasized federal law prisoners entitled relief demonstrate actual prejudice additionally justice noted federal courts highly state courts prisoner claim merits state court applying standards facts case justice ruled suffer actual prejudice opinion represented entirely reasonable application controlling precedent consequently justice held ruling reversed case light supreme_court decision opinions noted support majority opinion justice wrote separate opinion questioned solitary confinement justice kennedy observed spent years solitary confinement conditions confinement established record justice kennedy wrote likely held past years cell larger typical parking spot hours day hour leaves likely allowed little opportunity conversation interaction justice kennedy wrote human toll wrought extended terms isolation long understood questioned writers commentators solitary confinement bears terror peculiar mark conceded instances temporary solitary confinement useful necessary means impose discipline protect prison employees inmates courts ultimately determine alternative systems long term confinement exist system required adopt justice thomas wrote separate opinion respond justice kennedy opinion wrote accommodations housed far sight victims rest justice thomas noted victims years age younger soon time enjoy accommodations victims time enjoy earth justice opinion justice wrote opinion joined justice justice justice justice argued exclusion counsel hearings substantially influenced outcome case grave doubt exists exclusion harmless justice approach arguing proper inquiry trial court determination sustained different counsel present considering evidence presented case justice concluded factual legal basis court confidence prosecution use challenges race neutral argued light strength case court upheld ruling commentary analysis following release court opinion commentators described davis important case raising claims jury selection harmless error wrote forward dispute majority dissent especially significant effect cases trial courts conduct proceedings wrote court willing accept basic premise constitutional rights violated merit reversal review case new_yorker described court opinion particularly court opportunity hold state prosecutor account reasons justify racial discrimination jury selection failed commentary justice kennedy opinion initial commentary case focused justice kennedy opinion writing los_angeles_times described justice kennedy opinion unusual rare instance supreme_court justice virtually inviting constitutional challenge prison policy described justice kennedy opinion single surprising development term wrote kennedy critique solitary confinement davis came warning fanfare confinement new court second longest serving justice surprising suggested justice kennedy justice dissent collins described justice kennedy noting large legal academy public aware outraged practice long kennedy condemned wrote kennedy come death penalty rule unconstitutional reading words probably interview dean justice kennedy explained army locked cell hours slightly tortured justice kennedy remarked hours cell going mad people years drives people mad don think got
Davis v. Ayala