I N TH E S UP ERI O R CO URT O F TH E S TATE O F DELAW ARE

S T A T E OF DE L A WA RE : I

. D. No. 1 505013606

: I n an d f

or K en t Cou n ty

v

. :

: RK 15- 07- 0546- 0 1 M u r der 2 n d ( F )

DA M I E R H A RM ON, : RK 15- 07- 0548- 0 1 P F DCF ( F )

:

Def en dan t

. :

O R D ER

S u bm i tted: Decem

ber 31, 2018

Deci ded: J an

u ar y 17, 2 019

On th i s 17 t h d ay o f J an

u ar y 2019, u pon con si der a t ion of D a M i er H ar m on ’ s

( “ M r

. H ar m on ’ s ”) M oti on f

or P os tcon

v i cti on Rel i ef

, th e Com m i s s i on er ’ s Repor

t an d

Recom m en dati on

, an d th e r ecor d i n th i s cas e, i t appear s th at:

1. M r

. H ar

m o n pl ed g u i l ty th e day h i s tr i al was s et to b eg i n on Nov em ber 29,

2016 to on e cou

n t of M u r d er i n th e S econ d Deg r ee, as a l es s er i n cl u d ed of f en s e of

M u r der i n th e F ir s t D e gr e e, an d on e cou n t o f P os ses s i on of a F i r ear m Du r i n g t h e

Com m i ss i on of a F el on

y

. I n ex ch an g e f

or h i s pl ea, th e S tate en

ter ed nolle pr os equis

on th e r em ai n i n g cou

n ts i n cl u di n g on e cou

n t of Robber

y i n th e F i r s t Deg r ee, o n e cou n t

of P os s es s i on of a F i r ear m by a P er s o n P r oh i

bi ted, an d on e addi ti on al cou n t of

P os s es s i on

of a F i r ear

m D u r i n g th e Com

m i s si o n of a F el on

y

.

2. A s par t of th e pl ea ag r eem en

t, th e S tate r ecom

m en ded a m ax i m

u m s en ten ce

of th i r ty y ear s i n car cer ati on

. M r

. H ar m on f aced m an dator y l i f e i n pr i s on h ad h e been

con v i cted of th e l ead ch ar g e of F i r s t Deg r ee M u r der

. T h e Cou

r t or der ed a pr es en

ten ce

i n v es ti g ati on

, an d th e def

en se p r es en

ted m i ti g ati n g ev i den ce. A t th e s e nt e n ci n g on

F ebr u ar y 28, 2017, M r

. H ar

m on ag ai n adm

i tted h i s com

p l i ci ty i n th e m

u r der an d as ked

f or f or g i v en es s f

r om th e v i cti m ’ s f

a m ily

. T h e Cou

r t ag r eed w i th th e S tate' s

r ecom m en dati o n an d s en

ten ced M r

. H ar

m on to a tot a l o f f

i f ty y ear s i n car cer ati ons u s p en ded af ter th i r t y y ear s

, f or pr obati on

.

3. M r

. H ar

m on d id no t a p p eal h i s con v i cti on o r s en

ten ce t o th e D el awar e

S u p r em e Cou r t

. Rath er

, h e f

i l ed, pr o s e

, th e pen di n g m o ti on f or pos tcon

v i cti on r el i ef

pu r s u an t to S u per i o r Cou

r t Cr i m i n al Ru l e 61 al l eg i n g i n ef

f ecti v e as si s t an ce o f cou

n s el

.

H e al s o r equ es ted t

h e appoi n tm en t o f cou n sel

. T h i s Cou

r t den i ed th at r equ es t pu

r s u an t

to S u per i or Cou

r t Cr i m i n al Ru l e 61( e) ( 2)

. 1

4. Nex t

, M r

. H ar

m on f i l ed a wr i t of M an dam

u s wit h t h e Del awar e S u

pr em e

C o ur t con cer

n i n g th i s Cou

r t’ s den i al o f h i s r equ es t f

or appoi n tm en t o f cou n s el

. T h e

S u p r em e Cou r t den i ed th e w r i t on F ebr u ar y 13, 2018 2 an d th e m atter was s et f or

br i ef i n g on th e pen di n g pos tcon v i cti on m oti on

.

5. O n October 1 2, 2018, th e Com m i s s i o n er f

i l ed h er Repor

t an d

Recom m en dati on to den

y M r

. H ar

m on ’ s Ru l e 6 1 M o t ion

. M r

. H ar m on f i l ed n o

ex cepti o n s to th e Repor

t an d Recom

m en dati on

.

NO W

, TH EREF O RE, af ter a de novo r ev i ew of th e r ecor d i n th i s m atter

, an d

f or th e r eas on s s tated i n t h e C o m m i ss i on er ’ s Repor

t an d Recom

m en dati on dated

October 12, 2018;

I T I S H EREBY O RDERED th at th e Com m i ss i on er ’ s Repor

t a n d

Rec o m m e nd a t i on attach ed as E x h i bi t “ A ”, i s h er eby adopted by th e Cou r t i n i ts

en ti r ety

. A ccor di n g l y

, Mr

. H ar m on ’ s M oti on f

or P o s tcon

v i ction Rel i ef pu

r s u an t to

S u p er i o r Cou

r t Cr i m i n al Ru l e 61 i s DENI ED

.

/s /J ef f r ey J Cl ar k

J u dg e

1 See State v. Da M

ier Har m on

, C

. A

. No

. 1505013606 ( D el

. Super

. C t

. Dec. 20, 2017) ( di s cus s i n g

t h e pr i o r v er s i o n o f R

ul e 61 an d t h at t h e appl i cab l e v er s i o n ’ s r e l ev a n t pr o v i s i o n s wer e l at er des i gn at ed

as R ul e 61( e) ( 3) )

.

2 I M O the P e tition of Da M

ier Har mon f o r a w r it of mandamus

, Del

. Supr

. No

. 42, 2 018, T r ay n o r

, J

. ( F eb

. 13, 2018)

.

2

# E xhi bi t

A

3I N TH E S UP ERI O R CO URT O F TH E S TATE O F DELAW ARE

S T A T E O F D E L A WA RE ) I .D. N o. 1505013606

) I n an d f

or K en t Cou n t y

v

. )

) RK 15- 07- 0546- 01 M u r der 2 n d ( F )

DA M I E R H A RM O N, ) RK 15- 07- 0548- 01 P F DCF ( F )

)

Def en dan t. )

CO M M I S S I O NER'S REP O RT AND R ECO M M ENDATI O N

U p o n Def

en d an t 's M o t io n f

o r P o s t co n vict i o n Relief

P u rs u an t t o S u p erio r Co u rt Crim in al R u l e 61

S t eph en R. Wel ch

, J r

. , E s qu i r e, Depu ty A ttor n ey Gen er al

, Depar

t m en t of J u s ti ce, f

or t h e

S t ate of D el awar e.

Dam i er H ar m on

, P r o s e

.

F RE UD, Com

m i s s i on er

October 12, 2018

T h e def en dan t, Da M i er H ar

m on ( " H ar m on " )

, pl ed g

u i l ty th e day h i s tr i al was s et

to beg i n N ov em

ber 29, 2016 to o n e cou

n t of M u r der i n th e S econ d Deg r ee, as a l es s er

i n cl u ded of f en se o f M u

r der i n th e F ir s t D e gr e e

, 11 Del. C

. § 635, an d on e cou n t of

P o s s es s i on of a F i r ear

m D u r i n g th e Com

m i s s i on o f F e lo ny 1 1 Del. C

. § 1447A

. I n

ex ch an g e f

or h i s pl ea th e S tate en

ter ed nolle p r os equis on th e r em ai n i n g cou n ts i n cl u di n g

on e cou n t of Robber

y i n th e F i r s t Deg r ee, on e cou n t of P o s s e s s ion of F i r ear m by a

4P er s on P r oh i bi ted, an d o n e addi ti on al c o un t of P os s es s i on of a F i r ear m Du r i n g t h e

Com m i s s io n o f a F el on

y

. A s p ar

t of th e P l ea A g r eem en

t th e S tate r ecom

m en ded a

m ax i m u m s en ten ce of th i r

ty y ear s i n car cer ati on

. Du e to t h e n atu r e of t he c ha r ges

H ar m on f aced m an dator

y l i f e i n p r i s on h ad h e been con v i cted of th e l ead ch ar g e of F i r s t

Deg r ee M u

r der

. A pr es e nt e nc e of

f i ce i n v es ti g ati on was or der ed an d th e def en s e

pr es en ted detai l ed m

i ti g ati n g ev i d en ce. A

t th e s en ten ci n g on F ebr

u ar y 28, 2017 H ar

m on

ag ai n adm

i tted h i s com

pl i ci ty an d as ked f

or f or g i v en es s f

r om t h e v i cti m s f

am i l y

. T h e

Cou r t ag r eed wi th th e S tate' s r ecom m en dati o n an d s en

ten ced H ar

m o n to a total of f

i f t y

y ear s i n car cer ati on s u s pen ded af ter th i r ty y ear s f or pr obati on

, ei g h

teen of wh i ch wer e

m i n i m u m m an dator

y

. H ar m on d i d n o t appeal h i s con

v i cti o n or s en

ten ce to th e D el awar e

S u pr em e Cou

r t. H e f i l ed, pr o s e, th e p e nd ing m oti on f or pos tcon

v i cti on pu r s u an t to

S u per i or Cou

r t Cr i m i n al Ru l e 61 on A

u g u s t 7, 2017 al l eg i n g ine f

f e c t ive as s i s tan ce of

cou n s el

. H e al s o r equ es ted th e appoi n tm en t of cou n s el

. T h i s cou

r t den i ed th at r equ es t

pu r s u an t to S u per i or Cou

r t Cr i m i n al Ru l e 61( e) ( 2)

. N ext Ha r m on f i l ed a wr i t of

M an dam u s wi th th e Del awar e S up r e m e Cou r t con cer n i n g t h i s Cou r t ’ s den i al of h i s

r equ es t f o r appoi n tm en t of cou n s el

. T h e S u

pr em e Cou

r t den i ed th e wr i t on F ebr

u ar y 13,

2018 3 an d th e m atter

was s et f o r br i ef i n g on th e pen di n g p os tcon

v i cti on m oti o n

.

FACTS

A ccor d i n g t o t h e P r obabl e Cau s e A f

f i dav i t 4 an d t

h e tr an s cr i p t f

r om th e P r el i m

i n ar y

H ear i n g

, 5 at appr ox i m atel y 8: 54 p. m

. on M ay 13, 2015 Dov er P ol i ce wer e di s patch ed

to H ar m o n y L an e n or

t h of Wal k er Road i n Dov er i n r ef er en ce to a s h oot ing. U pon

ar r i v i n g at th e s cen e Detecti v e W ood of Dov er P ol i ce Depar tm en t l ocate d t he victi m

3 I MO the P etition of D amier Har mon f or a w r it of m andamus

, Del

. Supr

. No

. 42, 2018, T r ay n o r

, J

. ( F eb

. 13, 2018)

.

4 State v. Har

mon

, Del

. Super

. I D No

. 1505013606, D. I

. 1.

5 Har mon.

, D. I

. 3

.

5Gar

y A dam s ( “ A dam s ”) o n th e g r ou n d wi th a g

u n s ho t w o u nd to h i s l ef

t u pper ch es t.

A dam s w as t aken to K en

t Gen er al H o s pi tal w er e h e was d ecl ar ed dead. A s u bs equ en t

au tops y deter m i n ed th at A dam s d i ed as a r es u l t of a g u n s h ot wou

n d an d th e d eath was

f ou n d to be a h om

i ci de.

Detecti v e Wood s poke wi th wi tn es s # 1 wh o tol d t h e of f i cer th at h e an d A dam s

h ad ag r eed to m eet two i n di v i du a ls via t e xt m es s ag e i n or d er to s el l t h em s om e

m ar i ju an a. Wi tn es s # 1 s tated th at A dam s ’ cel l ph on e’ s batter y h ad r u n ou t so A dam s

u s ed wi tn es s # 1' s cel l p h on e to tex t th e i n di v i du al th ey th ou g h t i n ten ded to pu

r ch as e t h e

m ar i ju an a. Wi tn es s # 1 al l owed th e p o l ic e t o v i ew h i s cel l ph on e an d s ee th e tex t

m es s ag es an d th e ph on e n u m b er of th e i n di v i du al wh o was ar r an g i n g th e m eeti n g

.

W it ne s s # 1 stated t

h at w h en h e an d A dam s ar r i v ed o n H ar

m on y L an e th ey w e r e

di r ected w h er e to p ar

k th ei r car an d two s u s pects on e tal l th i n b l ack m al e, l ater i den ti f i ed

as B r u c e M a nlov e ( “ M an l ov e”)

, H ar m on ’ s co- def

en d an t, an d on e a s h or

ter h eav y s et

bl ack m al e, l ater i den

ti f i ed as H ar m on

, appr oach ed th e v eh i cl e an d A dam s h an ded a bag

of m ar i j u an a to M an l ov e wh o pu

t i t i n h i s pocket accor di n g to wi t n es s # 1. A t th i s poi n

t

wi tn es s # 1 s tated th at H ar m on pr odu ced a h an d g

u n an d or der ed A d am s to tu r n ov er h i s

pr oper ty

. A dam s g ot ou

t o f th e v eh i cl e an d a s cu f

f l e en s u ed. Wi tn es s # 1 obs er v ed t h e

s cu f f l e an d h ear d a si n g l e g

u n s h ot th en s aw A dam s col l aps e on th e g r ou n d at wh i ch poi n

t

th e two s u spects f

l ed th e s c e ne i n a sou

th bou n d di r ecti on

. A s i n g l e 9 m m cas i n g was

f ou n d at th e s cen e.

Detecti v e Wood al s o i n

ter v i ewed a s econ d wi tn es s

. Wi tn es s # 2 s tated h e l i v ed

i n th e n ei g h

bor h ood an d was ou

ts i de wh en h e s aw two p er s on s h e i den t i f i ed as “ B J ” an d

“ H am bu r g er

. ” B J bei n g a t al l s ki n n y bl ack m al e an d H am

bu r g er bei n g a s h or

t h eav y s et

bl ack m al e. Wi t

n es s # 2 s tated h e s aw th e car

, l ater i den ti f i ed as t h e on e wi tn es s # 1 an d

A dam s wer e i n

, pu l l i n

to th e n ei g h

bor h ood. Wi tn es s # 2 s t a t e d h e s aw B J an d

6H am

bu r g er w al k u

p to th e car

. Wi tn es s # 2 was s p eaki n g wi th an acqu ai n tan ce wh en

h e l ooked u

p a s econ d ti m

e an d s aw th e pas sen g er f r o m th e car s tr

u g g l i n g wi th B J an d

H am bu r g er

. Wi tn es s # 2 th en h ear d a g u n sh ot an d s aw A dam s col l aps e. A s th ey r an

away wi tn es s # 2 s aw H am bu r g er tr y i n g to tu ck s om

eth i n g i n to h i s sweats h i r

t

. Wi tn es s

# 2 tol d th e pol i ce th at H am bu r g er l i v es at th e en

tr an ce to th e n ei g h

bor h ood an d was on

h om e con f i n em en t. T h e i n v es ti g ati on r ev eal ed th at H ar m on l i v es wh er e wi t

n es s # 2 s ai d

“ H am bu r g er ” l i v es an d th at H ar

m on was on L ev el 4 m

o n i tor i n g an d was i n th e v i ci n i t y

at th e ti m e of th e m

u r der

. T h e i n

v es t i g ati on

al so r ev eal ed th at s h or

tl y af t er t h e m u r der

H ar m on h ad cu t o f f h i s an kl e br acel et an d f

l ed th e ar ea. Wi tn es s # 2 pos i ti v el y i den ti f i ed

M an l o v e as “ B J ,” t

h e tal l s ki n

n y bl ack m al e. H e al s o i den ti f i ed H ar m on as

“ H am bu r g er

, ” t h e s h o r ter h eav y s et bl ack m al e. Man l ov e an d H ar m on wer e

appr eh en ded at a h otel i n P h i l adel ph i a a s ho r t ti m e af ter th e cr i m e an d ex tr adi ted to

Del awar e. M an l ov e con f es s ed t o h i s i n

v ol v em en t i n th e cr i m e an d i m

pl i cated H ar

m on

as t h e s h ooter

. A s par

t of h i s pl ea ag r eem en

t M an l ov e ag r eed to t es ti f y at H ar m on ’ s

tr i al

.

H ARM O N’ S CO NTENTI O N S

I n h i s m oti o n H ar

m on r ai s es th e f

ol l owi n g g r ou n ds f or r el i ef :

Gr ou n d on e: I n ef

f ecti v e Cou

n s el

. D i d Cou n s el f ai l t o i n v es ti g a t e i n

to f acts r el ev an

t to

p r epar i n g def

en s e f or tr i al

, or ar g

u em en t ( s i c) f or l es s

t i m e, r es u l ti n g i n p r eju di ce an d f ai l u r e to ai d cl i en

t?

Gr ou n d two: I n ef

f ecti v e Cou

n s el an d Du e P r oces s

. W as pl ea accepted kn owi n g l y an d i n tel l eg en tl y ( s i c)

,

an d, d i d cou

n s el u s e coer ci v e tacti c i n g etti n g

d ef en dan t to s i g n pl ea?

Gr ou n d th r ee: I n ef

f ecti v e Cou

n s el

. W as C o u n s el ’ s f

ai l u r e t o r equ es t “ ch an g e of v en u e”

7i n ef f ecti v e, wh en v i cti m s f

ath e r was P ol i ce of

f i cer i n

Cou n ty w h er e cr i m

e w as com

m i t ted?

DI S CUS S I O N

Un der Del awar e l aw, th i s Cou r t m u s t f i r s t deter m i n e wh eth er H ar

m on h as m et t

h e

pr ocedu r al r equ i r em en

ts of S u per i or Cou

r t Cr i m i n al Ru l e 61( i ) bef

or e i t m ay con s i der

th e m er it s o f h i s pos tcon v i cti on r el i ef cl ai m

. 6 T h i s i s H ar m an ’ s f i r s t m o ti on f or

pos tcon v i cti on r el i ef

, an d i t was f

i l ed wi th i n o n e y ear of h i s con v i cti on becom

i n g f i n al

.

T h er ef or e, th e r equ i r em en

ts of Ru l e 6 1( i ) ( 1)

- r equ i r i n g f i l i n g wi th i n on e y ear an d ( 2)

-

r equ i r i n g th at al l g r ou

n ds f or r el i ef be pr es en

ted i n i n i ti al Ru l e 61 m

oti on

, ar e m et. Non e

of H ar m on ’ s cl ai m s wer e r ai s ed at th e pl ea, s en ten ci n g

, or on di r ect appeal

. T h er ef or e,

th ey ar e bar

r ed b y Ru l e 61( i ) ( 3 )

, abs en t a dem o n s t r atio n o f c a us e f

o r th e def au l t an d

pr eju d i ce. A l l of H ar

m on ’ s cl aim s a r e b a s ed on i n ef f ecti v e as s i s tan ce of cou

n s el ;

th er ef or e, h e h as al l eg ed cau s e f or h i s f ai l u r e to h av e r ai sed th em

ear l i er

.

A t th i s poi n

t, Ru l e 6 1( i ) ( 3) does n ot bar r el i ef as to H ar m o n ’ s g r ou n ds f or r el i ef

,

pr ov i ded h e dem

on s tr ates th at h i s cou

n s el was i n ef

f ecti v e an d th at h e was p r eju di ced by

cou n s el ’ s acti on s

. T o p r ev ai l on h i s cl ai m o f i n ef f ecti v e as s i s tan ce o f cou

n s el

, H ar m on

m u s t m eet th e two- pr on g t es t of Str ickland v. W as hing t o n

. 7 I n th e con

tex t of a g

u i l t y

pl ea ch al l en g e, Str i ckland r equ i r es a def en dan t s h ow: ( 1) th at cou

n s el ' s r epr es en

tati on

f el l bel ow an objecti v e s tan dar d of r eas on abl en es s; an d ( 2) th at cou n s el ' s acti on s wer e

pr eju d i ci al to h i m i n th at t

h er e i s a r eas on abl e pr obabi l i ty th at, bu t f or cou n s el ' s er r or

, h e

wou l d n ot h av e p l ed g

u i l ty an d wou l d h av e i n s i s ted on g oi n g to tr i al an d th at th e r es u l t

of a tr i al wou l d h av e been h i s acqu i ttal

. 8 T h e f ai l u r e to es t abl i s h t

h at a d ef en dan t wou l d

6 B ailey v. State, 588 A

. 2d 1121, 1127 ( Del

. 1991)

.

7 466 U. S. 668 (1984)

.

8 I d

. at 687.

8n ot h av e pl ed g u i l ty an d wou l d h av e pr oceeded to t r i al i s s u f f i ci en t cau s e f or den i al of

r el i ef

. 9 I n addi ti on

, Del awar e cou r ts h av e con s i s ten

tl y h el d th at i n s etti n g f

or th a cl ai m

of i n ef f ecti v e as si s tan ce of cou

n s el

, a d ef en dan t m u s t m ake con cr ete al l eg ati on s of actu al

pr eju d i ce an d s u

bs t an ti ate th em or r is k s u

m m ar y di s m i s s al

. 1 0 Wh en ex am

i n i n g t h e

r epr es en t ati on of cou

n s el pu r s u an t to th e f i r s t p r o n g o f t

h e Str ickland tes t, th er e i s a

s t r o n g pr es u

m pti o n th at cou

n s el ' s con du ct was pr o f

es s i on al l y r eas on abl e. 1 1 T h i s

s tan dar d i s h i g h l y dem an ding. 1 2 Str ickland m an dates th at, wh en v i ewi n g cou n s el ' s

r epr es en t ati on

, th i s Cou

r t m u s t en deav or to “ el i m i na t e th e di s tor ti n g ef f ects of

h i n ds i g h t. ” 1 3

F ol l o wi n g a com

pl ete r ev i ew o f th e r ecor d i n th i s m atter

, i t i s abu n d an tl y cl ear th at

H ar m on h as f ai l ed t o al l eg e an

y f acts s u f f i ci en t to s u bs t an t i ate h i s cl ai m th at h i s attor n ey

was i n ef f ecti v e. I f

i n d t r i al cou n s el ’ s af f i dav i t, i n con

ju n ct io n w i t h t h e r ecor d, m or e

cr edi b le t ha t H ar

m on ’ s s el f

- s er v i n g cl ai m s th at h i s cou n s el ’ s r epr es en

tati on was

i n ef f ecti v e. H ar

m on ’ s cou n s el cl ear l y den i es th e al l eg ati on s.

A s n oted, H ar

m o n was f aci n g t h e pos s i b i l i ty of m an dator y l i f e i n pr i s on h ad h e

been con v i cted, an d th e s en

t en ce an d pl ea wer e r eas on abl e u n der al l th e ci r cu

m s tan ces

,

es p eci al l y i n l i g h

t of th e ov er

wh el m i n g ev i den ce ag ai n s t h i m

. P r i or to th e en t r y of t h e

p le a

, H ar m on an d h i s attor

n ey di s cu s s ed th e cas e. T h e pl ea bar g ai n was cle a r l y

adv an tag eou s to H ar

m on

. Cou n s el ’ s r epr es en

tati on was cer

tai n l y wel l wi th i n th e r an g e

r equ i r ed by Str ickland

. A d di ti on al l y

, wh en H ar m on en ter ed h i s g u i l ty pl ea, h e s tated h e

9 Somer ville v. State

, 7 03 A

. 2d 629, 631 ( Del

. 1 997) ( ci t i n g Albur y v

. State

, 551 A

. 2 d 53, 60 ( Del

. 1988) ) ( ci t at i o n s o m

i t t ed)

.

1 0 See e. g.

, Outten v. State

, 7 2 0 A

. 2d 547, 557 ( D el

. 1998) ( ci t i n g Boughner v

. State

, 1995 W L

466465 a t *1 ( Del

. Supr

. ) )

.

1 1 A lbur y

, 551 A

. 2d at 59 ( ci

t i n g Str ickland

, 4 66 U. S. at 689)

.

1 2 F lamer v

. State

, 585 A

. 2d 736, 754 ( Del

. 1990) ( quo t i n g K immelman v. M

or r is on

, 477 U. S. 365,

383 (1986) )

.

1 3 Str ickland

, 466 U. S. at 689.

9was sati s f

i ed wi th def

en s e cou n s el ’ s per f

or m an ce. H e i s bou

n d by h i s s tatem

en t u n l es s

h e pr es en t s cl ear an d con

v i n ci n g ev i den ce to t

h e con tr ar y

. 1 4 Con s equ en

tl y

, H ar m on h as

f ai l ed t o es tabl i s h th at h i s cou n s el ’ s r epr es en

t ati on w as i n ef

f ecti v e u n der th e Str ickland

tes t.

E v en as s u

m i n g

, ar guendo

, th at cou

n s e l ’ s r e p r es en

t ati on of H ar

m o n was s om

eh ow

def i ci en t, H ar m on m u s t s ati s f y th e s econ d pr on g of th e Str ickland tes t, p r eju di ce. I n

s etti n g f or th a cl ai m of i n ef

f ecti v e as s i s tan ce of cou

n s el

, a d ef en dan t m u st m ake con cr ete

al l eg ati on s of actu al pr eju d i ce an d s u bs t an ti ate th em or r i s k di s m

i s s al

. 1 5 I n an attem

pt

to s h ow pr ej ud ic e

, Ha r m on s i m pl y as s er ts t h at h i s cou

n sel was i n ef

f ecti v e. H i s

s tatem en ts ar e ins uf

f ici en t to es tabl i s h pr eju di ce, par ti cu l ar l y i n l i g h

t of t h e ev i den ce

ag ai n s t h i m

. T h er ef

or e, I f i n d H ar m on ’ s g r ou n ds f or r el i ef ar e m er i tl es s.

T o th e ex ten

t th at H ar m on al l eg es h i s p l ea was i n

v ol u n t ar y

, th e r ecor d con

tr adi cts

s u ch an al l eg ati on

. Wh en addr es s i n g th e qu es ti on of wh eth er a pl ea was con s ti tu ti on al l y

kn owi n g an d v ol

u n tar y

, t h e Cou r t l ooks to a pl ea col l oqu

y to deter m i n e i f t h e wai v er of

con s ti tu ti on al r i g h ts was kn owi n g an d v ol

u n tar y

. 1 6 A t t h e g u i l ty

- pl ea h ear i n g

, th e Cou r t

as k ed H ar m on wh eth er h e u

n der s tood th e n atu

r e of th e ch ar g es

, th e con s equ en ces of h i s

p l eadi n g g

u i l ty

, an d wh eth er h e was v ol u n tar i l y p l eadi n g g

u i l ty

. T h e Cour t a s k e d

H ar m on i f h e u n d er s tood h e wou l d wai v e h i s con s t i t u t i o n al r i g h ts i f h e pl ed g

u i l ty ; i f h e

u n der s tood each of th e con s ti t u ti o n al r i g h ts l i sted on th e T r

u th

- i n

- S en ten ci n g Gu i l ty P l ea

F or m ( “ G u i l ty P l ea F or

m ”) ; an d wh eth er h e g av e tr

u th f u l an s wer s to al l th e q

u es ti on s on

th e f or m

. T h e Cou

r t as ked H ar

m on i f h e h ad di s cu s s ed th e g uil ty pl ea an d i ts

con s equ en ces f

u l l y wi th h i s attor

n ey

. T h e Cou

r t as ked H ar

m on i f h e w as en

ter i n g i n to

1 4 M a pp v. State

, 1994 W L 91264, at *2 ( Del

. Supr

. ) ( ci t i n g Sullivan v. State

, 636 A

. 2d 931, 937- 938

( Del

. 1994) )

.

1 5 Lar s on v. State

, 1995 W L 3 89718, at *2 ( Del

. Supr

. ) ( ci t i n g Y o u nger

, 580 A

. 2d 552, 556 ( Del

. 1990) )

.

1 6 Godinez v. M

or an

, 509 U. S. 389, 400 ( 1993)

.

10th e pl ea as h e was g u i l ty of th e ch ar g es

. T he C o ur t a l s o a s ked H ar m on i f h e was

s ati s f i ed wi th t h i s cou n s el ’ s r epr es en

tati on

. H ar

m o n an s wer ed each of th es e q u es ti on s

af f i r m ati v el y

. 1 7 A ddi ti on al l y at h i s s en ten ci n g H ar

m on ackn owl edg ed h i s guilt an d

r equ es ted f

or g i v en es s f

r om h i s v i cti m s ’ s f

am i l y

. 1 8 I f i n d cou n s el ’ s r epr es en

tati on s f ar

m o r e cr edi bl e th an H ar

m on ’ s s el f

- s er v i n g

, v ag u e al l eg ati on s.

F u r th er m or e, pr i o r to en

ter i n g h i s g

u i l t y pl ea, H ar

m on si g n ed a G u i l ty P l ea F or m

an d P l ea A g r eem en

t i n h i s own h an dwr i ti n g

. H ar m on ’ s s i g n atu

r es o n th e f

o r m s i n di cate

th at h e u n der s tood th e con s t i tu

t i on al r i g h ts h e was r el i n qu i s h i n g by pl eadi n g g u i l ty an d

th at h e f r eel y and v ol

u n tar i l y deci ded to pl ead g

u i l ty t o t h e ch ar g es l i sted i n th e P l ea

A g r eem en

t

. H ar m on i s bou n d by th e s t a t e m e nt s he m ade on th e s i g n ed Gu i l ty P l ea

F or m

, u n l es s h e pr ov es oth er

w i s e by cl ear an d con

v i n ci n g ev i d en ce. 1 9 I con f i d en tl y f i n d

th at Har m on en ter ed h i s g

u i l ty pl ea kn owi n g l y an d v ol u n t ar i l y an d th at H ar

m on ’ s

g r ou n ds f or r el i ef ar e com

pl etel y m er i tl es s

.

CO NCLUS I O N

I f i n d th at H ar

m on ’ s cou n sel r epr es en

ted h i m i n a com

peten t an d ef f ecti v e m an

n er

an d th at H ar

m on h as f ai l ed to dem

on s tr ate an

y pr eju di ce stem

m i n g f r om t h e

r epr es en t ati on

. I als o f

ind t h at H ar

m on ’ s g u i l ty pl ea was en

ter ed kn owi n g l y an d

v ol u n tar i l y

. I r ecom

m en d th at th e Cou

r t d en y H ar m o n ’ s m oti on f o r p os tcon

v i cti on r el i ef

as pr ocedu

r al l y b ar r ed an d com

pl etel y m er i tl es s

.

/s / A n dr ea M

. F r eud

C o m m i s s i o n er

A M F /ds c

1 7 State v

. Har

mon

, Del

. Super

. , I D No

. 1505020549, ( No v

. 29, 2015)

, T r

. o f Pl ea at 1 8 t o 28.

1 8 Har mon

, D el

. Super

. , I D No

. 1505020549 ( F eb 28, 2016)

, T r

. o f Sen t en ci n g at 9.

1 9 Sommer

ville, 703 A

. 2d at 632.

11