Penry v. Johnson, 532 U.S. 782, 14 (2001)

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Cite as: 532 U. S. 782 (2001)

Opinion of the Court

Rather, the question is whether the Texas court's decision was contrary to or an unreasonable application of our precedent. 28 U. S. C. § 2254(d)(1) (1994 ed., Supp. V). We think it was not. The differences between this case and Estelle are substantial, and our opinion in Estelle suggested that our holding was limited to the "distinct circumstances" presented there. It also indicated that the Fifth Amendment analysis might be different where a defendant "intends to introduce psychiatric evidence at the penalty phase." 451 U. S., at 472. Indeed, we have never extended Estelle's Fifth Amendment holding beyond its particular facts. Cf., e. g., Buchanan v. Kentucky, 483 U. S. 402 (1987) (Estelle does not apply, and it does not violate the Fifth Amendment, where a prosecutor uses portions of a psychiatric evaluation requested by a defendant to rebut psychiatric evidence presented by the defendant at trial). We therefore cannot say that it was objectively unreasonable for the Texas court to conclude that Penry is not entitled to relief on his Fifth Amendment claim.

Even if our precedent were to establish squarely that the prosecution's use of the Peebles report violated Penry's Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination, that error would justify overturning Penry's sentence only if Penry could establish that the error " 'had substantial and injurious effect or influence in determining the jury's verdict.' " Brecht v. Abrahamson, 507 U. S. 619, 637 (1993) (quoting Kotteakos v. United States, 328 U. S. 750, 776 (1946)). We think it unlikely that Penry could make such a showing.

The excerpt from the Peebles report bolstered the State's argument that Penry posed a future danger, but it was neither the first nor the last opinion the jury heard on that point. Four prison officials testified that they were of the opinion that Penry "would commit criminal acts of violence that would constitute a continuing threat to society." App. 94, 104, 138; 47 Record 970. Three psychiatrists tes-

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