Excerpt
On October 16, 1995, Mathew Musladin went on trial for the murder of his estranged wife’s fiancé, Tom Studer. Musladin contended that he believed Studer had a gun and so he shot him in self-defense.
During the trial, members of Studer’s family appeared in court with buttons bearing a photograph of a smiling Studer in a Navy uniform. The defense objected to the presence of the buttons, but the trial judge allowed them.
On November 1, Musladin was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to 32 years to life in prison. Musladin appealed his conviction to the California Court of Appeal on the…
In This Issue
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Foreword
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Opinion of the Court
The Ninth Circuit did not have jurisdiction to rule on whether a victim’s family members wearing buttons with a photo of the deceased to the trial of the alleged murderer prejudices the jury.
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Federal Habeas Corpus Law
Congress Gives More Responsibility to State Courts
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Lower Court Holding
Decision of the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
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Before the Court
The Justices Weigh in During Oral Arguments
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Pro & Con
Can the Ninth Circuit Reverse a Murder Conviction Because the Victim's Relatives Wore Picture Buttons at the Trial?
