Title: Gibbs v. State

State: delaware

Issuer: Delaware Supreme Court

Document:

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE 
 
RODERICK GIBBS, 
 
Defendant Below- 
Appellant, 
 
v. 
 
STATE OF DELAWARE, 
 
Plaintiff Below- 
Appellee. 
§ 
§ 
§  No. 67, 2002 
§ 
§  Court Below—Superior Court 
§  of the State of Delaware, 
§  in and for New Castle County 
§  Cr. ID No. 9912008045 
§ 
§ 
§ 
 
 
 
 
 
Submitted: June 21, 2002 
 
 
 
 
  Decided: August 9, 2002 
 
Before VEASEY, Chief Justice, BERGER, and STEELE, Justices. 
 
O R D E R 
 
This 9th day of August 2002, upon consideration of the parties’ briefs and the 
record below, it appears to the Court that: 
 
(1) 
The defendant-appellant, Roderick Gibbs, pleaded guilty in May 2000 
to one count of first degree assault.  The Superior Court sentenced him in July 
2000 to ten years at Level V incarceration, suspended after serving five years for 
decreasing levels of supervision.  In October 2001, Gibbs filed his first petition for 
postconviction relief, asserting that his trial counsel was ineffective for failing to 
investigate the prosecutor’s alleged conflict of interest and for failing to file an 
appeal, that his guilty plea was not voluntary, and that the Superior Court erred in 
 
2
sentencing him in excess of the sentencing guidelines.  The Superior Court denied 
Gibbs’ petition on its merits.  This appeal ensued. 
(2) 
Having carefully considered the parties’ respective briefs, we find it 
manifest that the Superior Court’s judgment should be affirmed on the basis of its 
well-reasoned decision dated January 16, 2002.  The Superior Court’s finding that 
Gibbs entered his guilty plea knowingly and voluntarily is supported by clear and 
convincing evidence in the record.  Accordingly, in light of Gibbs’ admitted guilt, 
we agree with the Superior Court that Gibbs could not establish any prejudice from 
his attorney’s alleged errors.  Finally, the Superior Court was entirely correct that 
Gibbs’ sentence, which fell within the statutory range of authorized penalties, 
provided no basis for postconviction relief.1 The Superior Court did not err in 
summarily disposing of Gibbs’ claims without holding a hearing.2   
 
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that the judgment of the Superior 
Court is AFFIRMED. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BY THE COURT: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
_Myron T. Steele____________________ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Justice 
 
 
 
 
                                                          
 
1 See Gaines v. State, 511 A.2d 765, 766-67 (Del. 1990). 
2 See Maxion v. State, 686 A.2d 148, 11 (Del. 1996).