Cite as: 516 U. S. 1 (1995)
Per Curiam
In speculating that the undisclosed polygraph results might have affected trial counsel's preparation, and hence the result at trial, the Ninth Circuit disagreed with, or disregarded, the view of respondent's own trial counsel. At the evidentiary hearing held in the Federal District Court in this habeas action, respondent's habeas counsel questioned trial counsel on the importance of the polygraph results:
"Q: And you indicated that your cross-examination of Rodney was, I think, somewhat limited because of concern that— "A: It was limited in my own respect. Nobody tried to limit me. In my opinion, as a trial lawyer, that was a very dangerous witness to me, and I wanted to get as much as I could out of him without recalling the crystal words again. Leave no prisoners. "Q: Do you think it would have been any help to you in doing that, if you had known of specific questions regarding the offense on which Mr. Rodney Bartholomew had failed a polygraph examination? Would that have perhaps affected the shape of your cross-examination of him? "A: I think in retrospect they're almost parallel. The questions that he failed were his contribution or implication in the offense, the holdup, with Mr. Dwayne Bartholomew. I believe they were in gloves, so in retrospect they wouldn't have affected it. I would have liked to have known it, Mr. Ford, but I don't think it would have affected the outcome of the case." Tr. 55-56.
Trial counsel's strategic decision to limit his questioning of Rodney undermines the suggestion by the Court of Appeals that counsel might have chosen to depose Rodney had the polygraph results been disclosed. But of even greater importance was counsel's candid acknowledgment that disclosure would not have affected the scope of his cross-
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