529 U.S. at 390, 120 S.Ct. 1495 (finding that petitioner met his burden under § 2254 where he claimed ineffective assistance of counsel, the merits of which were “squarely governed by ... Strickland ”). Thus, the Court may evaluate the substance of Petitioner’s claim that the New Jersey Supreme Court’s determination that he “was provided effective assistance of counsel at the penalty phase of his capital trial was contrary to, and an unreasonable application of, Strickland v. Washington,” requiring habeas relief. Pet’r. Br. at 47. IV. A. The Sixth Amendment to the Constitution recognizes that defendants in criminal trials have a right to counsel in order to ensure that those trials are fundamentally fair. See U.S. v. Cronic, 466 U.S. 648, 653, 104 S.Ct. 2039, 80 L.Ed.2d 657 (1984) (<HOLDING>); Powell v. Alabama, 287 U.S. 45, 69, 53 S.Ct.
recognizing a defendants constitutional right to be represented by counsel of his own choice recognizing that a criminal defendants right to a fair trial is fundamental recognizing that a criminal defendants right to counsel is the right to the effective assistance of counsel recognizing that the accuseds right to be represented by counsel is a fundamental component of our criminal justice system holding right to be fundamental