564
Opinion of the Court
of trial, Del Frate faced felony charges in Ohio and California. Del Frate admitted claiming another murderer confessed to him during the period in which Thompson confessed to him. He also admitted changing his account of Thompson's confession to him numerous times. Given the trial evidence impeaching each informant, we would disrespect the jury in Thompson's case if we were to find that, had it been presented with still more impeachment evidence, it would have reached a different verdict.
In support of his first federal habeas petition, Thompson also presented the opinions of Dr. Irving Root, a pathologist who testified on Thompson's behalf during the evidentiary hearing in Federal District Court. Dr. Root disputed certain of the opinions offered by Dr. Richards and Deputy Coder at trial. First, Dr. Root disagreed with Deputy Coder's conclusion that the crushing injury to Fleischli's left wrist was caused by handcuffs. Dr. Root stated the injury was unlike handcuff injuries he had seen on other corpses. 1 Tr. 52-54, 62-63 (Aug. 5, 1997). He did not, however, offer any alternative explanation as to how the injury might have been caused. Second, Dr. Root disputed Dr. Richards' conclusions regarding the bruises on Fleischli's body. Dr. Root opined the bruises to Fleischli's ankles and left wrist were caused at least 11 hours before death. Id., at 47-50. He further stated the bruises to Fleischli's palms were the result of lividity, i. e., the settling of blood by gravity after death. Id., at 48. Third, Dr. Root noted there had been "infrequent" sperm on the vaginal swab of Fleischli's body. Id., at 63. Dr. Root suggested this finding could be the result of low sperm count for the male, or douching or drainage after intercourse. Ibid. He further suggested the other evidence in the case ruled out the possibility of drainage. Id., at 63-64. He did not, however, opine as to whether low sperm count or douching was the more probable of the remaining possibilities. Finally, Dr. Root summarized his tes-
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