SEDRICE SIMPSON

DOB: May 25, 1972
Race: African American
Gender: Male

County of conviction: Dallas
Number of counts: 2
Race of victim:
Gender of victim: Female/Female
Date of crime: June 20, 1997
Date of sentencing: May 29, 1998

Trial Counsel:

Robert Jeffrey

Current proceedings:

• Appeal in process in U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit, Case No. 06-2823 on October 23, 2006.

Last judicial decision:

• U.S. District Court grants Certificate of Appealability on all points for habeas, July 11, 2006.
   
• Denial of habeas petition by U.S. District Court E.D. Ark., Case No. 5:04-CV-00429 (Holmes, J.) May 30, 2006.

Recent counsel: withdrew 12/22/05

Craig Lambert
319 President Clinton Avenue, Suite 205
Little Rock, AR  72201
501-374-3559

Current counsel:

Jeffrey M. Rosenzweig
300 Spring Building, Suite 310
Little Rock, AR 72201-2421
(501) 372-5247

Joseph Blake Hendrix, Jr.
Law Office of Joseph Blake Hendrix, Jr.
308 South Louisiana Street
Little Rock, AR  72201
(501) 376-0679
hendrixlaw@sbcglobal.net

Reported Opinions:

• U.S. District Court grants Certificate of Appealability on all points for habeas, July 11, 2006.
   
• Denial of habeas petition by U.S. District Court E.D. Ark., Case No. 5:04-CV-00429 (Holmes, J.) May 30, 2006.
   
• Denial of post-conviction relief under Rule 37 affirmed by Simpson v. State, 138 S.W.3d 671 (Ark. 2003).
   
• Dismissal of post-conviction relief, as untimely, reversed and remanded by Simpson v. State, 65 S.W.3d 878 (Ark. 2002).
   
• Counsel permitted to withdraw during pendency of appeal of denial of post-conviction relief. Simpson v. State, 40 S.W.3d 293 (Ark. 2001).
   
• Sentence and conviction affirmed on direct appeal by Simpson v. State, 6 S.W.3d 104 (Ark. 1999).
   
• State ordered to file supplemental abstract on direct appeal. Simpson v. State, 999 S.W.2d 181 (Ark. 1999).

Significant legal issues:

• admission of custodial statements elicited after a police officer told Simpson "I'm going to see that you fry for this," and
   
• claim of mental retardation under Atkins
   
• trial court's exclusion of instructions and evidence that Mr. Simpson's co-defendant pleaded guilty to two counts of second degree murder and robbery and was sentenced to twenty years for each murder

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