Is there any case law where the trial judge did what the state judge did?

Here the trial judge did what he was supposed to do. He resolved a close question of fact. The state court did the same thing, and its finding of fact on the same issue is presumptively correct. Sumner v. Mata, 449 U.S. 539, 547, 101 S.Ct. 764, 769, 66 L.Ed.2d 722. Now on appeal, the majority tosses all this aside by relying on the voir dire transcript from the state trial court, the transcript of the evidentiary hearing before the district court, and an exhibit. The majority's analysis by which it reaches its result is flawed, and with all due respect its decision is wrong.