Ninth Circuit: Ellis v. Harrison

State court's holding that Habeas petitioner must establish prejudice from his counsel's racial animus by a preponderance was an unreasonable application of federal constitutional law.

To establish prejudice from counsel's racial animus, petitioner must establish either his or her knowledge of the animus at a critical phase of the proceedings, resulting in a communications breakdown, or another adverse effect of the animus.

Concurrence to per curiam: prejudice should be the presumption in strategic decisions once animus is established.

http://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2018/06/07/16-56188.pdf