Kevin Z. Yang

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Deference Spillover: The End of Witherspoon in Capital Appeals

Witherspoon v. Illinois bars the state from disqualifying jurors solely for opposing the death penalty. That holding remains good law. But practice, Witherspoon is a mirage in capital appeals. This Comment explains why—tracing Witherspoon’s demise to the “spillover” of a deferential habeas standard of review into direct appeals.