accomplices bound, gagged, and blindfolded the Sum-ners with duct tape. The accomplices then drove the Sumners, who were forced into the trunk of their own car, to a previously excavated gravesite, secured the duct tape that was binding them, retrieved their ATM-pin number, forced them into the grave, and then filled the grave with dirt with the Sumners alive inside. The Sum-ners were “buried alive, and suffered a slow and torturous death from the weight of the soil being built up around them and inhaled into their lungs until they lost consciousness and expired.” Accordingly, Jackson has failed to demonstrate prejudice because the appellate process was not compromised. Therefore, there was no ineffective assistance of appellate counsel, and Jackson is not entitled to habeas r (<HOLDING>). 3 . Jackson also refers to extensive portions
holding appellate counsel was not ineffective for forgoing a claim disputing the admission of victim impact evidence because it had no merit holding that where trial counsel was not ineffective appellate counsel was not ineffective for failing to raise claim of ineffectiveness of trial counsel holding that counsel cannot be deemed ineffective for failing to raise a meritless claim holding that appellate counsel could not be found to have rendered ineffective assistance for failing to raise issues that are without merit holding that letters from the victims family constituted improper victim impact statements but appellate counsel was not ineffective for failing to raise a claim because the jury never saw the letters and thus the claim was without merit