Bracy v. Gramley

CitationBracy v. Gramley, 520 U.S. 899, 117 S. Ct. 1793, 138 L. Ed. 2d 97, 1997 U.S. LEXIS 3548, 65 U.S.L.W. 4435, 97 Cal. Daily Op. Service 4308, 97 Daily Journal DAR 7207, 10 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. S 539 (U.S. June 9, 1997)

Brief Fact Summary. Defendant sentenced to death by a corrupt judge pressed a judicial-bias claim.

Synopsis of Rule of Law. If a defendant can demonstrate “good cause” for discovery in a judicial-bias claim, he may then rebut the presumption that the judge “properly discharged their official duties.”

Issue. “Whether petitioner is entitled to discovery under [the Habeas Corpus rules] to support his judicial-bias claim.”

Held. Yes. The Supreme Court prefaced its holding by listing the tangled history of Maloney’s corruption, concluding that “if it could be proved.