Supreme Court Report

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Kenneth Christopher Pointer, aka Keith Johnson v. United States

IFP petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, No. 24-1960 · judgment May 9, 2025


Certiorari denied · February 23, 2026

Question presented

QUESTON NUMBER ONE: Whether the district court abused its discretion by failing to conduct a prompt Evidentiary Hearing and the Sixth Circuit's affirmance of that decision based upon Pointer's ineffectiveness claim as it relates to failing to conduct adequate legal research; failure to thoroughly review Indictment; and failure to file a pre-trial Motion to Dismiss Fatally Defective Superseding Indictment, thus, did this violate his Sixth Amendment Rights of the U.S. Constitution. QUESTION NUMBER TWO: Whether the district court abused its discretion by failing to conduct a prompt Evidentiary Hearing and the Sixth Circuit's affirmance of that decision based upon Pointer's ineffectiveness claim as it relates by his ex-trial counsel failing to object to a determination regarding unanimous jury verdict, thus, did this violate his Sixth Amendment Rights of the U.S. Constitution ? QUESTION NUMBER THREE: Whether the district court abused its discretion by failing to conduct a prompt Evidentiary Hearing and the Sixth Circuit's affirmance of that decision based upon Pointer's trial stage error ineffectiveness claim, thus, did this violate his Sixth Amendment Rights of the U.S. Constitution ?

Counsel of record

For petitioner
Kenneth Christopher Pointer

For respondent
D. John Sauer
Solicitor General

Case

Conference history
Distributed for 1 conference

Proceedings

  1. Feb 23 2026
    Petition DENIED.
  2. Jan 22 2026
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/20/2026.
  3. Jan 16 2026
    Waiver of right of respondent United States to respond filed.
  4. Oct 09 2025
    Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due February 6, 2026)