Darden v. Wainwright

Summary

Justice Powell's majority opinion upheld the denial of habeas relief. The Court held that the record supported excluding a prospective juror because of his opposition to capital punishment; that the prosecutors' improper closing arguments did not render the trial fundamentally unfair or undermine sentencing reliability under Caldwell; and that counsel's sentencing strategy did not constitute ineffective assistance. Chief Justice Burger concurred fully and separately defended the Court's review against suggestions that impatience had influenced its decision. Justice Brennan joined Justice Blackmun's dissent and separately stated that he would vacate the death sentence because capital punishment is categorically unconstitutional. Justice Blackmun, joined by Justices Brennan, Marshall, and Stevens, would reverse the conviction because the prosecutors' inflammatory arguments denied a fair trial and, independently, would vacate the death sentence because the prospective juror was improperly excluded.