penry johnson director texas department criminal justice institutional division argued march decided june held petitioner penry sentenced death violation eighth amendment close penalty hearing penry first texas capital murder trial jury instructed answer three statutorily mandated special issues whether penry conduct committed deliberately reasonable expectation death result whether probable continuing threat society whether killing unreasonable response provocation deceased although penry offered extensive evidence mentally retarded severely abused child jury never told consider give mitigating effect evidence imposing sentence holding jury adequately instructed respect mitigating evidence found among things none special issues broad enough allow jury consider give effect evidence penry lynaugh penry texas retried penry found guilty capital murder penalty phase defense put extensive evidence regarding penry mental impairments childhood abuse direct examination defense clinical neuropsychologist price testified believed penry suffered organic brain impairment mental retardation price cited one records reviewed preparing testimony psychiatric evaluation prepared peebles request penry determine penry competency stand trial earlier charge unrelated murder issue defense objection price recited portion evaluation stated peebles professional opinion penry released dangerous others came time submit case jury trial instructed jury determine penry sentence answering three special issues issue penry trial gave supplemental instruction hen deliberate special issues consider mitigating circumstances supported evidence find circumstances must decide much weight deserve therefore give effect consideration assessing defendant personal culpability time answer special issue determine giving effect mitigating evidence life sentence reflected negative finding issue consideration rather death sentence appropriate response penry personal culpability negative finding given one special issues verdict form however contained text three special issues gave jury two choices respect yes jury unanimously answered yes special issue sentenced penry death accordance state law affirming texas criminal appeals rejected penry claims admission language peebles report violated penry fifth amendment privilege jury instructions constitutionally inadequate permit jury consider give effect particular mitigating evidence respect latter held supplemental instruction met penry constitutional requirements petition state habeas corpus relief denied penry petitioned federal habeas relief district found state appellate conclusions penry claims neither contrary unreasonable application clearly established federal law fifth circuit denied certificate appealability held penry argument unavailing admission evidence portion peebles report referring future dangerousness violated fifth amendment privilege case distinguishable estelle smith held admission psychiatrist testimony topic future dangerousness based defendant uncounseled statements violated fifth amendment need decide whether several respects case differs estelle affect merits penry claim rather question whether texas decision contrary unreasonable application precedent see williams taylor differences case estelle substantial estelle opinion suggested holding limited distinct circumstances presented therefore said objectively unreasonable texas conclude penry entitled relief fifth amendment claim see williams supra even precedent establish squarely use peebles report violated fifth amendment error justify overturning penry sentence establish error substantial injurious effect influence determining jury verdict brecht abrahamson considerable doubt penry make showing excerpt peebles report neither first last expert opinion jury heard effect penry posed future danger means key state case future dangerousness pp jury instructions penry resentencing however comply mandate penry extent texas appellate believed penry satisfied merely supplemental instruction given clearly misapprehended prior decision key penry jury able consider give effect defendant mitigating evidence imposing sentence pp affirmed part reversed part remanded delivered opinion parts ii unanimous part joined stevens kennedy souter ginsburg breyer jj thomas filed opinion concurring part dissenting part rehnquist scalia joined johnny paul penry petitioner gary johnson director texas department criminal justice institutional division writ certiorari appeals fifth circuit june justice delivered opinion held johnny paul penry sentenced death violation eighth amendment jury adequately instructed respect mitigating evidence see penry lynaugh penry state texas retried penry jury also found guilty capital murder sentenced death consider whether jury instructions penry resentencing complied mandate penry also consider whether admission evidence statements psychiatric report based uncounseled interview penry ran afoul fifth amendment johnny paul penry brutally raped murdered pamela carpenter october texas jury found guilty capital murder close penalty hearing jury instructed answer three statutorily mandated special issues whether conduct defendant caused death deceased committed deliberately reasonable expectation death deceased another result whether probability defendant commit criminal acts violence constitute continuing threat society raised evidence whether conduct defendant killing deceased unreasonable response provocation deceased quoting tex code crim proc art vernon supp jury answered yes issue required statute trial sentenced penry death although penry offered extensive evidence mentally retarded severely abused child jury never instructed consider give mitigating effect evidence imposing sentence three special issues broad enough scope jury consider give effect mitigating evidence answering special issue penry mental retardation potentially relevant first special issue whether acted deliberately found way sure jurors fully considered mitigating evidence bore broader question penry moral culpability second issue whether penry future danger evidence mental retardation history abuse relevant aggravating factor emphasis original evidence simply relevant mitigating way third issue whether penry unreasonably responded provocation comments counsel also failed clarify jury role defense counsel urged jurors vote one special issues believed penry mitigating evidence deserve put death prosecutor however reminded oath follow law answe questions based evidence following law internal quotation marks omitted light prosecutor argument absence instructions informing jury consider give effect mitigating evidence penry mental retardation abused background declining impose death penalty concluded reasonable juror well believed vehicle expressing view penry deserve sentenced death based upon mitigating evidence thus vacated penry sentence confirming capital case sentencer must able consider give effect mitigating evidence imposing sentence sentence imposed reflec ts reasoned moral response defendant background character crime quoting california brown concurring emphasis original penry retried found guilty capital murder penalty phase defense put extensive evidence regarding penry mental impairments childhood abuse one defense witness subject penry mental impairments randall price clinical neuropsychologist direct examination price testified believed penry suffered organic brain impairment mental retardation app course price prosecutor asked records price reviewed preparing testimony price cited reports including psychiatric evaluation penry prepared felix peebles may peebles report prepared request penry determine penry competency stand trial rape charge unrelated rape murder pamela carpenter prosecutor asked price read specific portion peebles report jury objection defense counsel price recited peebles professional opinion johnny paul penry released custody dangerous persons prosecutor recited portion peebles report closing argument came time submit case jury instructed jury determine penry sentence answering three special issues three issues put jury penry specifically jury determine whether penry acted deliberately killed pamela carpenter whether probability penry dangerous future whether penry acted unreasonably response provocation app cf penry told jury determine answers issues efore issue may answered yes jurors must convinced evidence beyond reasonable doubt answer issue yes juror considering evidence instructions reasonable doubt whether answer special issue answered yes juror vote special issue app explained consequences jury decision return affirmative finding special issues submitted shall sentence defendant death instructed return negative finding special issue submitted shall sentence defendant texas department corrections life therefore instructed answers special issues determine punishment assessed defendant reflective finding personal culpability defendant johnny paul penry case gave following supplemental instruction instructed deliberate questions posed special issues consider mitigating circumstances supported evidence presented phases trial whether presented state defendant mitigating circumstance may include limited aspect defendant character record circumstances crime believe make death sentence inappropriate case find mitigating circumstances case must decide much weight deserve therefore give effect consideration assessing defendant personal culpability time answer special issue determine giving effect mitigating evidence life sentence reflected negative finding issue consideration rather death sentence appropriate response personal culpability defendant negative finding given one special issues complete copy instructions attached verdict form jury took entire packet deliberation room tr oral arg verdict form however contained text three special issues gave jury two choices respect special issue jury unanimously find determine beyond reasonable doubt answer special issue yes jury least ten jurors reasonable doubt matter inquired special issue find determine answer special issue app deliberating approximately hours jury returned punishment verdict see record signed verdict form confirmed jury unanimously agreed answer special issue yes app accordance state law sentenced penry death texas criminal appeals affirmed penry conviction sentence rejected penry claim admission language peebles report violated penry fifth amendment privilege reasoned peebles examined penry two years prior murder pamela carpenter penry time confronted someone essentially agent state whose function gather evidence might used connection crime incarcerated penry state internal quotation marks citation omitted also rejected penry claim jury instructions given second sentencing hearing constitutionally inadequate permit jury consider give effect mitigating evidence mental retardation childhood abuse cited penry proposition defendant proffers mitigating evidence relevant special issues relevance defendant moral culpability beyond scope special issues jury must given special instruction order allow consider give effect evidence quoting supplemental jury instruction given penry second trial see supra overruled penry claim error stated nullification instruction one sufficient meet constitutional requirements penry petition state habeas corpus relief denied see app trial order criminal appeals order penry filed petition writ habeas corpus pursuant ed supp district southern district texas district rejected penry claims finding texas criminal appeals conclusions points neither contrary unreasonable application clearly established federal law app full briefing argument appeals fifth circuit denied certificate appealability stayed penry execution granted certiorari consider penry constitutional arguments regarding admission peebles report adequacy jury instructions ii penry filed federal habeas petition enactment antiterrorism effective death penalty act provisions law govern scope review specifically supp prohibits federal granting application writ habeas corpus respect claim adjudicated merits state unless adjudication resulted decision contrary involved unreasonable application clearly established federal law determined last term williams taylor explained contrary unreasonable application clauses independent meaning state decision contrary clearly established precedent state either applies rule contradicts governing law set forth cases confronts set facts materially indistinguishable decision nevertheless arrives result different precedent state decision unreasonable application clearly established precedent correctly identifies governing legal rule applies unreasonably facts particular prisoner case federal habeas making unreasonable application inquiry ask whether state application clearly established federal law objectively unreasonable distinguishing unreasonable incorrect application federal law clarified even federal habeas concludes state decision applied clearly established federal law incorrectly relief appropriate application also objectively unreasonable although district evaluated texas criminal appeals disposition penry claims standard later rejected williams see app stating application law facts unreasonable said reasonable jurists considering question one view state ruling citation omitted fifth circuit articulated proper standard review set forth clarified williams denied penry relief guided standard turn substance penry claims iii penry contends admission evidence portion peebles report referred penry future dangerousness violated fifth amendment privilege never warned statements made peebles might later used texas criminal appeals disagreed concluding peebles interviewed penry peebles acting agent state order gather evidence might used penry penry argues case indistinguishable estelle smith estelle considered situation psychiatrist conducted ostensibly neutral competency examination capital defendant drew conclusions defendant uncounseled statements regarding future dangerousness later testified prosecution crucial issue likened psychiatrist agent state recounting unwarned statements made postarrest custodial setting held criminal defendant neither initiates psychiatric evaluation attempts introduce psychiatric evidence may compelled respond psychiatrist statements used capital sentencing proceeding admission psychiatrist testimony distinct circumstances violated fifth amendment case differs estelle several respects first defendant estelle placed mental condition issue whereas penry made mental status central issue rape case trials pamela carpenter rape murder second estelle trial called competency evaluation state chosen examining psychiatrist however penry counsel case requested psychiatric exam performed peebles third estelle state called psychiatrist testify part affirmative case penry psychological witness prosecutor elicited quotation peebles report fourth estelle defendant charged capital crime time competency exam thus clear future dangerousness specific issue sentencing penry however yet murdered pamela carpenter time interview peebles need decide whether differences affect merits penry fifth amendment claim rather question whether texas decision contrary unreasonable application precedent supp think differences case estelle substantial opinion estelle suggested holding limited distinct circumstances presented also indicated fifth amendment analysis might different defendant intends introduce psychiatric evidence penalty phase estelle apply violate fifth amendment prosecutor uses portions psychiatric evaluation requested defendant rebut psychiatric evidence presented defendant trial therefore say objectively unreasonable texas conclude penry entitled relief fifth amendment claim even precedent establish squarely prosecution use peebles report violated penry fifth amendment privilege error justify overturning penry sentence penry establish error substantial injurious effect influence determining jury verdict brecht abrahamson quoting kotteakos think unlikely penry make showing excerpt peebles report bolstered state argument penry posed future danger neither first last opinion jury heard point four prison officials testified opinion penry commit criminal acts violence constitute continuing threat society app record three psychiatrists testified penry dangerous individual likely remain two state witnesses see app third price defense witness prosecutor asked read peebles report recitation price stated opinion penry free world consider dangerous peebles report effective rhetorical tool means key state case question whether penry likely commit future acts violence therefore considerable doubt admission peebles report even erroneous substantial injurious effect verdict brecht abrahamson supra accordingly disturb texas criminal appeals rejection penry fifth amendment claim penry also contends jury instructions given second sentencing hearing comport holding penry provide jury vehicle expressing reasoned moral response mitigating evidence penry mental retardation childhood abuse texas criminal appeals disagreed summarized penry holding defendant proffers mitigating evidence relevant special issues relevance defendant moral culpability beyond scope special issues jury must given special instruction order allow consider give effect evidence stated supplemental jury instruction given penry second sentencing hearing satisfied mandate ibid texas make rationale holding entirely clear one hand might believed penry satisfied merely virtue fact supplemental instruction given hand might believed substance instruction satisfied penry latter seems likely extent former texas clearly misapprehended prior decision penry hold mere mention mitigating circumstances capital sentencing jury satisfies eighth amendment stand proposition constitutionally sufficient inform jury may consider mitigating circumstances deciding appropriate sentence rather key penry jury able consider give effect defendant mitigating evidence imposing sentence dissenting sentencer must allowed give full consideration full effect mitigating circumstances emphasis original jury given vehicle expressing reasoned moral response evidence rendering sentencing decision penry state contends substance supplemental instruction satisfied penry provided jury requisite vehicle expressing reasoned moral response penry particular mitigating evidence specifically state points admittedly less artful portion supplemental instruction says find mitigating circumstances case must decide much weight deserve therefore give effect consideration assessing defendant personal culpability time answer special issue determine giving effect mitigating evidence life sentence reflected negative finding issue consideration rather death sentence appropriate response personal culpability defendant negative finding given one special issues app emphasis added see also brief respondent see two possible ways interpret confusing instruction first portions italicized indicate understood telling jurors take penry mitigating evidence account determining truthful answers special issue viewed light however supplemental instruction placed jury better position jury penry made clear penry none special issues broad enough provide vehicle jury give mitigating effect evidence penry mental retardation childhood abuse cf words judge dennis jury ability consider give effect penry mitigating evidence still shackled confined within scope three special issues dissenting opinion thus supplemental instruction practical effect jury instructions penry second sentencing meaningfully different ones found constitutionally inadequate penry alternatively state urges possible understand supplemental instruction informing jury simply answer one special issues believed mitigating circumstances made life sentence appropriate regardless initial answers questions brief respondent texas criminal appeals appeared understand instruction sense termed supplemental instruction nullification instruction even assuming jurors understood instruction operate way instruction simple implement state contends rather made jury charge whole internally contradictory placed jurors impossible situation jury clearly instructed yes answer special issue appropriate supported evidence beyond reasonable doubt app answer appropriate reasonable doubt whether answer special issue yes verdict form listed three special issues mention mitigating circumstances confirmed clarified jury two choices respect special issue jury swear unanimously determined beyond reasonable doubt answer special issue yes swear least jurors reasonable doubt matter inquired special issue jury thus determin ed answer special issue ibid emphasis added state view however jury also told ignore clear guidelines even fact reasonable doubt matter inquired answer special issue negative mitigating circumstances warranted life sentence words jury change one truthful yes answers untruthful answer order avoid death sentence penry generally presume jurors follow instructions see richardson marsh however logically ethically impossible juror follow sets instructions penry mitigating evidence fit within scope special issues answering issues manner prescribed verdict form necessarily meant ignoring command supplemental instruction answering special issues mode prescribed supplemental instruction necessarily meant ignoring verdict form instructions indeed jurors wanted answer one special issues falsely give effect mitigating evidence violate oath render true verdict tex crim proc code art vernon mechanism created supplemental instruction thus inserted element capriciousness sentencing decision making jurors power avoid death penalty dependent willingness elevate supplemental instruction verdict form instructions roberts louisiana plurality opinion least reasonable likelihood jury applied challenged instruction way prevent ed consideration penry mental retardation childhood abuse boyde california supplemental instruction therefore provided inadequate vehicle jury make reasoned moral response penry mitigating evidence even though texas criminal appeals focused solely supplemental instruction affirming penry sentence state urges us evaluate instruction contextually reference comments prosecutor defense counsel well comments voir dire indeed said approach jury instructions way jury commonsense understanding instructions light taken place trial penry illustrates methodology evaluated likely effect jury comments defense counsel prosecutor however conclude comments insufficient clarify confusion caused instructions voir dire process approximately prospective jurors interviewed see record index transcripts many veniremembers including jurors eventually empaneled received copy instruction largely similar supplemental instruction ultimately given jury juror read instruction judge attempted explain worked see record thought mitigating evidence sufficient might even though really felt answers three special issues yes might answer one penry get life sentence rather death penalty prosecutor attempted explain instruction see ven though believe three answers yes think death penalty appropriate particular person happened past instruction give effect belief answer one issues jurors defense counsel also gave similar explanation see believe mitigating circumstance apply mitigation answer going back changing answer yes comments reinforce state construction supplemental instruction bolster confidence jurors ability give effect penry mitigating evidence deciding sentence rather highlight arbitrary way supplemental instruction operated fact jury essentially instructed return false answer special issue order avoid death sentence moreover skeptical time penalty phase deliberations began jurors remembered explanations given voir dire much less taken binding statement law voir dire began almost two full months penalty phase deliberations interim jurors observed rest voir dire listened trial extensive instructions participated hours deliberations respect penry guilt listened another trial punishment comments counsel voir dire surely distant convoluted memory time jurors began deliberations penry sentence state also contends closing arguments penalty phase clarified matters penry counsel attempted describe jury task thought mental retardation child abuse think guy deserves life sentence death sentence get answer one questions judge told question give answer even decide literally correct answer yes easiest instruction follow law funny things sometimes app however explanation reminded jurors answer special issues dishonestly order give effect penry mitigating evidence reasons discussed clarification provided real help moreover even thought arguments defense counsel adequate substitute statements law see boyde california supra prosecutor effectively neutralized defense counsel argument prosecutor penry stressing jury duty follow oath evidence law app best jury received mixed signals opinion penry provided sufficient guidance trial might drafted jury charge penry second sentencing hearing comply mandate specifically indicated concerns alleviated jury instruction defining term deliberately first special issue way clearly direct jury consider fully penry mitigating evidence bears personal culpability trial surely drafted instruction effect indeed penry offered two definitions deliberately trial refused give see tr oral arg clearly drafted catchall instruction mitigating evidence also might complied penry texas current capital sentencing scheme revised penry second trial sentencing provides helpful frame reference texas requires jury decide hether taking consideration evidence including circumstances offense defendant character background personal moral culpability defendant sufficient mitigating circumstance circumstances warrant sentence life imprisonment rather death sentence imposed tex code crim art vernon supp penry counsel conceding issue admitted tough time saying penry complied new texas procedure tr oral arg least brevity clarity instruction highlight confusing nature supplemental instruction actually given indicate trial adequate alternatives available drafted instructions penry trial thus extent texas criminal appeals concluded substance jury instructions given penry second sentencing hearing satisfied mandate penry determination objectively unreasonable cf shafer south carolina slip holding direct review south carolina incorrectly limited holding simmons south carolina mischaracterized state new capital sentencing scheme works three special issues submitted jury identical ones found constitutionally inadequate applied penry although supplemental instruction made mention mitigating evidence mechanism purported create jurors give effect evidence ineffective illogical comments counsel accomplished little way clarification realistic assessment manner supplemental instruction operated therefore lead conclusion reached penry reasonable juror well believed vehicle expressing view penry deserve sentenced death based upon mitigating evidence judgment appeals fifth circuit therefore affirmed part reversed part case remanded proceedings consistent opinion ordered johnny paul penry petitioner gary johnson director texas department criminal justice institutional division writ certiorari appeals fifth circuit june justice thomas chief justice justice scalia join concurring parts ii dissenting part two texas juries deliberated reasoned penry brutal rape murder pamela carpenter warrants death penalty texas law two opinions overruled decisions ground sentencing courts said penry alleged mitigating evidence believe recent sentencing gave jurors opportunity consider evidence penry presented respectfully dissent habeas reviewing called upon propose believe ideal instruction jury take account evidence related penry childhood mental status job much simpler significantly removed writing instruction first instance must decide merely whether conclusion texas criminal appeals sentencing supplemental instruction explaining jury give effect mitigating value found penry evidence satisfied requirements penry objectively unreasonable williams taylor see also supp penry first sentencing read jury texas three special issues capital instruct jury consider evidence offered penry mitigating evidence give mitigating effect evidence imposing sentence prosecutor also offer way jury give mitigating effect evidence instead simply reiterated jury answer three questions follow law penry concluded light prosecutor argument absence appropriate jury instructions reasonable juror well believed vehicle expressing view penry deserve sentenced death based upon mitigating evidence penry second sentencing read jury three special issues contrast first sentencing however instructed jury length consider penry proffered evidence mitigating evidence give mitigating effect evidence see ante texas criminal appeals concluded supplemental instruction allow ed jury consider give effect penry proffered mitigating evidence therefore sufficient meet constitutional requirements penry penry state view decision objectively reasonable also compelled precedents common sense evaluating instructions engage technical parsing language instructions instead approach instructions way jury commonsense understanding instructions light taken place trial johnson texas quoting boyde california texas instruction read common sense even technical parsing tells jurors may consider evidence penry presented mitigating evidence believe mitigating evidence makes death sentence inappropriate answer one special issues given straightforward reading instructions objectively reasonable eminently logical conclude reasonable juror believed vehicle expressing view penry deserve sentenced death based upon mitigating evidence true penry proffered evidence fit neatly three special issues imposing death penalty texas sentencing told jury uncertain terms precisely follow directive penry first sentencing instructed jury consider evidence mitigating evidence see app hen deliberate questions posed special issues consider mitigating circumstances supported evidence presented phases trial whether presented state defendant mitigating circumstance may include limited aspect defendant character record circumstances crime believe make death sentence inappropriate case next explained jury must give effect evidence ibid find mitigating circumstances case must decide much weight deserve therefore give effect consideration assessing defendant personal culpability time answer special issue finally unambiguously instructed determine giving effect mitigating evidence life sentence reflected negative finding issue consideration rather death sentence appropriate response personal culpability defendant negative finding given one special issues ibid emphasis added without performing legal acrobatics make instruction confusing certainly contortions necessary find texas appellate decision objectively unreasonable simply share confusion juror consider mitigating evidence decide whether makes death sentence inappropriate respond yes depending answer curiously concludes supplemental instruction inserted element capriciousness sentencing decision making jurors power avoid death penalty dependent willingness elevate supplemental instruction verdict form instructions ante quoting roberts louisiana plurality opinion reference roberts however wholly misplaced roberts involved situation jury told find defendant guilty lesser included offense unsupported evidence jury want sentenced death penry case suggestion express implied made jury disregard evidence contrary instructed give effect penry proffered evidence required penry tellingly roberts plurality stated full element capriciousness making jurors power avoid death penalty dependent willingness accept invitation disregard trial judge instructions emphasis added penry case judge instructions included explanation answer three special issues give effect mitigating evidence finally contrary claim jury received mixed signals ante appears texas courts received mixed signals jurek texas upheld texas sentencing statute issue attack eighth fourteenth amendments joint opinion jurek concluded statute permits jury consider whatever evidence mitigating circumstances defense bring guides focuses jury objective consideration particularized circumstances individual offense individual offender impose sentence death opinion stewart powell stevens purporting distinguish rather overrule jurek penry determined texas statute constitutionally insufficient permitting jurors give effect mitigating evidence see also scalia dissenting explaining penry contradicts jurek conclusions according instruction informing jury give effect mitigating evidence necessary today decision yet decided even supplemental instruction constitutionally sufficient footnotes another recent development texas passage bill banning execution mentally retarded persons see babineck perry measure needs analyzing dallas morning news may opinion goes press texas governor rick perry still process deciding whether sign bill ibid footnotes special issues whether conduct defendant caused death deceased committed deliberately reasonable expectation death deceased another result whether probability defendant commit criminal acts violence constitute continuing threat society raised evidence whether conduct defendant killing deceased unreasonable response provocation deceased penry quoting tex code crim proc art vernon supp suggestion texas may believed supplemental instruction regardless substance satisfy penry requirement see ante specious texas explained jury must given special instruction order allow consider give effect evidence quoted full text supplemental instruction concluded nullification instruction one sufficient meet constitutional requirements penry emphasis added quite obvious based legal conclusion content supplemental instruction still bewildered finds unconstitutional texas limit consideration mitigating evidence factors relevant three special issues see graham collins thomas concurring need address broader issue uphold penry sentence think need look beyond instructions evaluating texas appellate decision even doubt whether instruction led jurors believe vehicle giving mitigating effect penry evidence instruction made clear light ha taken place trial johnson texas judge prosecutor fully explained give effect mitigating evidence voir dire process defense counsel made instruction clear closing thought mental retardation child abuse think guy deserves life sentence death sentence get answer one questions app even jurors forgotten told voir dire see ante assumption find questionable given presumptions jurors ability remember follow instructions see weeks angelone defense counsel explanation closing arguments fresh minds despite assertion defense counsel told jurors answer questions dishonestly ante seems jurors reasonably believed honestly answer question found death sentence inappropriate given mitigating evidence follow oath evidence law quoting prosecutor statement app truthfully concluding evidence penry childhood mental status warrant death penalty writing next one special issues