Sprayberry v. Morris

Summary

The Court reversed the habeas court’s grant of relief on Morris’s ineffective-assistance claims. It held that Morris’s independent trial-counsel claims were procedurally defaulted and that he failed to establish either deficient performance or prejudice through his claims concerning appellate counsel. The Court remanded only for resolution of Morris’s unresolved claim that appellate counsel was ineffective for failing to raise a federal right-to-be-present claim.