No. 19-6156October Term 2019Decided Apr 6, 2020Updated Apr 6, 2020
Halprin v. Davis
Randy Halprin, a Texas death row prisoner, says his murder trial was tainted because the judge who presided over it was openly racist and anti-Semitic and allegedly used slurs about Halprin, who is Jewish, and his co-defendants.
Case status
Decided · April 6, 2020
Read the opinion (PDF)- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Apr 6, 2020
- What it's about
Randy Halprin, a Texas death row prisoner, says his murder trial was tainted because the judge who presided over it was openly racist and anti-Semitic and allegedly used slurs about Halprin, who is Jewish, and his co-defendants. The case asks whether those allegations mean Halprin should get another chance to challenge his conviction and death sentence.
Question presented
Whether Halprin’s second federal petition raising a judicial bias claim is “second or successive” under 28 U.S.C. § 2244(b)(2) if the judge concealed his bias by failing to recuse himself, and the public exposure of his bigotry after the conclusion of Halprin’s initial habeas proceedings in the district court created Halprin’s first fair opportunity to present his claim?
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit / Decision released Apr 6, 2020
- Area
Criminal Procedure
Timing
Decided April 6, 2020
The Court released its decision on April 6, 2020 without hearing oral argument.
Documents
Activity
Docket activity2
Opinion added: Opinion
Apr 6, 2020 | Court records
Brief added: Petition
Oct 3, 2019 | Court records
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Grounding
- Grounding
- Primary-source trail available.
- Note
- Plain-English explainer. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.
- Checked
- Jul 25, 2026
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- Methodology