### IN THE CO URT OF CR IMINAL APPEALS OF T ENN ESSEE

AT JACKSON

Ass ig ne d o n B rie fs Feb ru ary 5, 2 01 3

DERRICK

SORRELL v. ST ATE OF TE NNESSEE

A p p e a l f r o m t h e C r i m i n a l C o u r t f o r S h e l b y C o u n t y
N o

. 0 3

- 0 1 9 5 5 J o h n T

. F o w l k e s , J r

. , J u d g e

N o

. W 2 0 1 2

- 0 1 0 2 5

- C C A

- R 3

- P C

- F i l e d A p r i l 1 6
, 2 0 1 3

T h e p etitio n er, D errick S o rrell, ap p eals th e p o st-co n v ictio n co u rt’s d en ial o f h is p etitio n f o r

p o st-co n v ictio n relief f

ro m h is f irst-d eg ree m

u r d e r co n v ictio n , arg u in g h e receiv ed th e in ef f ectiv e assistan ce o f

co u n sel. A f

ter rev iew , w e af

f irm th e d en ial o f

th e p etitio n

.

T e n n

. R

. A p p

. P

. 3 A p p e a l a s o f R i g h t ; J u d g m e n t o f t h e C r i m i n a l C o u r t A f f i r m e d

A LA N E

. G LE N N

, J

. , d e l i v e r e d t h e o p i n i o n o f t h e C o u r t

, i n w h i c h J O H N E V E R E T T W ILL IA M S

a n d C A M ILL E R

. M C M U LLE N

, J J

. , j o i n e d

.

P a u l K

. G u i b a o ( o n a p p e a l ) a n d R y a n W i l e y ( a t h e a r i n g )

, M e m p h i s , T e n n e s s e e , f o r t h e

a p p e l l a n t

, D e r r i c k S o r r e l l

.

R o b e r t E

. C o o p e r , J r

. , A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l a n d R e p o r t e r ; D a v i d H

. F i n d l e y , S e n i o r C o u n s e l ;
A m y P

. W e i r i c h

, D i s t r i c t A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l ; a n d M u r i e l M a l o n e , A s s i s t a n t D i s t r i c t A t t o r n e y
G e n e r a l

, f

o r t h e a p p e l l e e , S t a t e o f T e n n e s s e e

.

O P I N I O N

F A C T S

T h e p etitio n er w as co n v icted o f o n e co u n t o f

f irst-d eg ree p rem ed itated m u rd er an d

o n e co u n t o f f

elo n y m u rd er, arisin g o u t o f h is k illin g th e v ictim

, M ark K en t, w h ile en g ag ed

in a d ru g d ea l

. S tate v

. D errick S o rrell, N o

. W2 0 0 6 -0 2 7 6 6 -C C A -R 3 -C D

, 2 0 0 9 WL

1 0 2 5 8 7 3

, at * 1 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. A p r. 8

, 2 0 0 9 ), p erm

. ap p

. d en ied (T en n

. A u g

. 1 7

, 2 0 0 9 ).

T h e t r i a l c o u rt m erg ed th e co n v ictio n s, an d th is co u rt af f irm ed th e j u d g m en ts o f th e trial

co u rt o n d irect ap p eal. Id

. T h e T en n essee S u p rem e C o u rt d en ied th e p etitio n er’s ap p licatio n f o r p erm issio n to ap p eal. Id

.T h e u n d erly in g f acts o f th e case w ere recited b y th is co u rt o n d irect ap p eal as f o llo w s:

A t trial, O f

f icer R ich ard Jew ell, Jr. testif ied th at h e receiv ed a call in f o rm in g h im th at a p erso n h a d b een seen slu m p ed o v er th e w h eel o f a car n ear E ast

P ark w ay an d Y o u n g

. T h e o f f icer said th at h e arriv ed at th e p ark in g lo t o f th e S u n sh in e C ar Wash an d o b serv ed a D o d g e A v en g er C o u p e p ark ed ab o u t th ree f eet f ro m a p ay p h o n e. T h e o f

f icer o b serv ed th e v ictim lean in g f o rw ard in th e

seat w ith w h at ap p eared to b e a g u n sh o t w o u n d to th e sid e o f h is f ace.

O f f icer A d a m M erritt testif

ied th at th ere w as b lo o d an d b rain m atter
i n s i d e th e v eh icle an d th at h e d id n o t attem p t to o p en th e car d o o rs b e c a u s e th ere w ere n o sig n s o f

lif e.

O f f icer Jew ell testif

ied th at th ey o p en ed t h e v e h i cle w h en th e C rim e S cen e U n it arriv ed

. In sid e th e v eh icle, th ey o b serv ed th at th e rear seat h ad

b een “f lip p ed u p ” an d n o ticed th e v ictim ’s b lo o d o n th e cen ter co n s o le.

O f f i c e r Jew ell o p in ed th at th e co n so le an d th e g lo v e b o x h ad in d en tatio n s

co n sisten t w ith so m eo n e try in g to f o rce th em o p en

.

O f f icer D av id G allo w ay , w ith th e C rim e S cen e U n it, testif ied th at h e f o u n d a sp en t .3 8 0 calib er b u llet casin g b eh in d th e f ro n t d riv er’s seat. T h e

o f f icer also testif

ied th at, o u tsid e th e v eh icle b y th e p assen g er d o o r, th ey f o u n d a w h ite p ap er th at ap p eared to h av e b lo o d o n it.

Jerry S im s, a retired laten t p rin t e x a mi n e r , testif ied th at th e b lo o d y f in g e r p rin t o n th e p iece o f p ap er f o u n d in th e v ictim ’s car b elo n g ed to th e [ p etitio n er]

.

D o cto r T eresa C am

p b ell, w h o p erf

o rm ed th e v ictim ’s au to p s y , t e s t i fi e d

th at th e v ictim

h ad tw o g u n sh o t w o u n d s to th e h ead

, o n e to th e rig h t sid e o f

h i s f ace an d o n e b eh in d h is ear at th e b ase o f h is sk u ll. T h e d o cto r t e s t i f i e d

th at th e v ictim h ad a stip p lin g p a t t e r n o n h is f ace th at in d icated th e g u n h ad

b een d isch arg ed w ith in tw o f eet o f h is f

ace. S h e d eterm in ed th at th e cau se o f

d eath w as m

u ltip le g u n sh o t w o u n d s. T h e d o cto r testif ie d t h at th e w o u n d to
th e f ace w o u ld n o t h av e cau sed an im m ed iate d eath

, b u t th e w o u n d to th e b ase

o f th e sk u ll w o u ld h av e cau sed in stan tan eo u s d eath

.

T if f an y D o tso n test i f

i ed th at sh e h ad liv ed w ith th e v ictim f o r six o r

sev en y ears. S h e testif

ied th at sh e last saw th e v ictim at ap p ro x im ately 1 0 :0 0

p .m

. w h en h e lef

t th e h o u se to w ash h er car, a 1 9 9 6 D o d g e A v en g e r

. S h e

-2-testif ied th at sh e f

ell asleep

, aw o k e ab o u t m id n ig h t, an d realized th e v ictim

h ad n o t retu rn ed h o m e. S h e called th e v ictim o n h is cell p h o n e b u t w as u n ab le

to reach h im

. D o tso n w en t b ack to sleep

, w o k e u p ab o u t 3 :0 0 a.m ., an d ag ain

tried to call th e v ictim

. S h e said th is w as u n u su al an d b eg an t o c a l l t h e h o sp itals, th e p o lice, an d th e im p o u n d lo t. S h e learn ed th at h er car h ad b een in v o lv ed in a h o m icid e. S h e p h o n ed th e v ictim ’s f ath er an d to ld h im w h at sh e k n e w

. D o tso n said th at sh e listen ed to th e v o ice m ail m essag es f ro m t h e

v ictim ’s p h o n e later th at d ay an d co n tacted th e p o lice to tell th em sh e th o u g h t

o n e m essag e w as im

p o rtan t.

O f f i c e r J am es F itzp atrick testif ied th at h e w en t to th e scen e o f th e h o m icid e o n Ju n e 1 9

, 2 0 0 1

. H e b e l i ev ed th at th e v o ice m ail lef t o n th e

v ictim ’s p h o n e w as an a c c i d en tal reco rd in g

. T h e o f f icer said th at th e v o ice

m ail cau g h t h is atten tio n b ecau se o n e o f th e in d iv id u als sp eak in g said th at h e “search ed u p u n d er h is b u tt.” T h e o f f icer o p in ed th at so m eo n e h ad m o v ed th e

v ictim aro u n d an d search ed u n d ern eath h im

. H e f u rth er testif

ied th at h e th o u g h t th e co n v ersatio n h ad so m eth in g to d o w ith th e h o m icid e.

O f f icer F itzp atrick testif

ied th at h e sp o k e w ith th e [ p etitio n er] o n O ct o b e r 2 9

, 2 0 0 1

, an d to o k a w ritten statem en t f ro m h im

. In itially

, th e [ p etitio n er] d en ied an y k n o w led g e o f th e k illin g

. T h e o f f icer to ld th e [ p etitio n er] th at th ey h ad h is f in g erp rin t f

ro m th e crim e scen e, an d th e [ p etitio n er] d en ied th at h e h ad ev er b een to th e car w ash w h ere th e v ictim w as slain

. T h e [ p etitio n er] ev en tu ally ack n o w led g ed th at h e h ad sp o k en w ith th e

v ictim an d h ad m ad e an ap p o in tm en t to m eet h im at th e c ar w ash at E ast

P ark w ay an d Y o u n g

. T h e [ p etitio n er] said h e l e f t b ef o re th e v ictim w as k illed

. T h e o f

f icer testif ied th at h e to ld th e [ p etitio n er] it w o u l d n o t b e

p o ssib le f

o r h im to h a v e lef

t b ef o re th e v ictim w as k illed b ecau se th e [ p etitio n er] ’s f

in g erp rin t in sid e th e car w as m ad e in th e v ictim ’s b lo o d

.

T h e [ p etitio n er] to ld th e o f f icer th at “D av id C o v in g to n ” w as th e p erso n

w h o k illed th e v ictim

. T h e [ p e t itio n er] ex p lain ed to th e o f f icer th at h e h ad

arra n g e d t o m eet th e v ictim to p u rch ase tw o o u n ces o f co cain e. T h e [ p etitio n er] said h e h ad f o rty d o llars to b u y th e d ru g s an d w a s co n cern ed

b ecau se f o rty d o llars w as ty

p ically n o t en o u g h m o n ey to p u rch ase o n e o u n ce

o f co cain e. T h e [ p etitio n er] said th at d u rin g th eir n eg o tiatio n , D av id

C o v in g to n o p en ed th e p assen g er sid e d o o r o f th e car an d f ired tw o sh o ts. T h e [ p etitio n er] said th a t M r

. C o v in g to n ran aro u n d th e car to th e d riv er’s sid e.
T h e [ p etitio n er] said th at h e w en t to h is car an d lef t th e car w ash

.

-3-In h is f o rm al statem en t, th e [ p etitio n er] d en ied sh o o tin g th e v ictim

. H e

m ain tain ed th at D av id C o v in g to n sh o t th e v ictim w ith a ch ro m e .3 8 0 calib er

p isto l. T h e [ p etitio n er] said h e h a d k n o w n C o v in g to n f o r ten y ears. T h e [ p etitio n er] to ld th e o f

f icers th at h e h ad b lo o d o n h is clo th es an d th at h e th rew

aw ay h is sh irt b u t lau n d ered h is p an ts.

T h e o f f icers p lay ed an au d io tap e f o r th e [ p etitio n er] th at w a s ma d e f ro m th e v ictim ’s v o ice m ail me s s a g e s

. T h e reco rd in g w as f ro m an “accid en tal” p h o n e call b etw een tw o m en

. T h e reco rd in g co n tain ed a

co n v ersatio n ab o u t search in g u n d ern eath th e v ictim af ter h e w as k illed

. O n e

o f f icer testif ied th at, af

ter h earin g th e reco rd in g , th e [ p etitio n er] b e c a me

ag itated an d h is sp eech p attern b ecam e stu ttered an d accelerated

. T h e o f f icers

a s k ed th e [ p etitio n er] w h o m h e w as talk in g to

, an d h e rep lied th at h e w as talk in g to h is co u sin

, L o ren zo T o w n s. Wh en p ressed ab o u t w h y h e h ad to ld

so m an y d if

f eren t st o r i e s ab o u t th at n ig h t, th e [ p etitio n er] term in ated h is

co n v ersatio n w ith th e o f

f icers.

L ieu ten an t D arrell S h ef

f ield testif ied th at h e o b tain ed a search w arran t
f o r th e v ictim ’s cellu lar telep h o n e af ter receiv in g in f

o rm atio n ab o u t th e

v ictim ’s v o ice m ail. H e receiv ed a d etailed b ill sh o w in g th e p h o n e n u m b ers f ro m calls receiv ed an d p laced o n th e v ictim ’s p h o n e. T h e lieu ten an t w as ab le

to d eterm in e th at th e [ p etitio n er] w as th e su b scrib er o f th e p h o n e n u m b er u sed

w h en th e in cid en t h ap p en ed

.

T ab ith a B en d er, an em

p lo y ee of Cr i c ke t Com

m uni c a tio n s, testif

ied th at
sh e rev iew ed th e telep h o n e reco rd s f o r b o th th e v ictim an d th e [ p etitio n er] f o r calls o rig in atin g o n Ju n e 1 8

, 2 0 0 1

. S h e testif ied th at th e [ p etitio n er] called th e

v ictim six tim es b etw e e n 9 : 0 4 p .m

. an d 1 0 :3 9 p .m

. S h e testif ied th at th e

v ictim p h o n ed th e [ p etitio n er] o n e tim e, at 9 :4 5 p .m

.

C aro ly n N

. C am

b ers, an em

p lo y ee o f th e S h elb y C o u n ty S h erif f ’s

D ep artm en t, testif

ied th at sh e is resp o n sib le f o r reco rd in g telep h o n e calls th at

o rig in ate f

ro m th e co u n ty j ail. A tap ed telep h o n e call m ad e b y th e [ p etitio n er]

w as in tro d u ced in to ev id en ce w h ere h e tried to co n v in ce so m eo n e to tell th e

p o lice th at an o th er p erso n h ad k illed th e v ictim

.

D errick S o rrell, 2 0 0 9 WL 1 0 2 5 8 7 3 , at * 1 -3

.

O n Ju n e 2 1

, 2 0 1 0

, th e p etitio n er f iled a p ro se p etitio n f

o r p o st-co n v ictio n relief

, in

w h ich h e raised

, am o n g o t he r t hi ngs , va rio u s alleg atio n s o f in ef

f ectiv e assistan ce o f co u n sel.

-4-T h e p o st-co n v ictio n co u rt co n d u cted an ev id en tiary h earin g o n Jan u ary

6 , 2 0 1 1

.

A t th e h earin g , th e p etitio n er testif ied th at h e su f

f ered f ro m p aran o id sch izo p h ren ia

an d h ad b een o n m ed icatio n f o r “a lo n g tim e,” in clu d in g p rio r to h is arrest an d co n v ictio n

. H e h ad h ad m en tal h ealth p ro b lem s sin ce h e w as y o u n g , an d h is m o th er ab u sed h im

. H e to ld

co u n sel th at h e w as o n m ed icatio n an d w as seein g a d o cto r in th e j ail, y et h e w as n ev er sen t
f o r a m en tal ev alu atio n

. H e w as h o u sed “in th e su icid e tan k ” at tim es. H e to ld co u n sel h e d id n o t th in k h e co u ld testif y d u e to th e stress o f b ein g cro ss-ex am in ed b y “a p ro f essio n al

p ro secu to r.”

T h e p etitio n er testif

ied th at h is m eetin g s w ith co u n sel w e r e to o sh o rt. A t o n e

p articu lar m eetin g , h e m et w ith co u n sel an d an o th er atto rn ey to d iscu ss a p lea, b u t h is n erv es

w e r e “ me s sed u p th at d ay ” an d h e h ad tro u b le u n d erstan d in g

. H e to ld co u n sel ab o u t h is

d if f icu lties an d ask ed f

o r h elp

. H e ad m itted th at h e rej ected a t h i r t e en -y ear o f f er b u t

ex p lain ed th at th e “v o ices started talk in g to [ h im ] ” an d “b ef o re [ h e] k n [ e ] w it, th ey h ad

alread y set it f

o r trial[ .] ” H e receiv ed d isco v ery f ro m th e S tate b u t d id n o t u n d erstan d all o f

it. C o u n sel tried to ex p lain th in g s to h im b u t d id n o t m eet w ith h im lo n g en o u g h f o r h im to

g ain u n d erstan d in g

.

O n cro ss-ex am in atio n , th e p etitio n er testif ied th at h e d id n o t tell co u n sel ab o u t h i s

m en tal h ealth issu es, in clu d in g h is b e i n g d iag n o sed as p aran o id sch izo p h ren ic. H e stated

th at h e d id n o t tell co u n sel th at h e w as h earin g v o ices, alth o u g h h e d id tell co u n sel th at h e

w as tak in g m ed icatio n an d th at th e m ed icatio n s w ere af f ectin g h im

. H o w ev er, h e elab o rated

th at h e an d co u n sel d id n o t “d iscu ss[ ] it lo n g en o u g h f o r [ h im] t o g et in to it, b ecau se it is

v ery h ard to tell so m eb o d y th at. Y o u th in k th at th ey are g o in g to tak e ad v an tag e o f y o u [ .] ”

T h e v o ices in h is h ead to ld h im th at co u n sel w as n o t th ere to h elp h im

. H e also d id n o t tell

th e j u d g e ab o u t th e v o ices in h is h ead b ecau se “th e v o ices w [ ere] cro w d in g [ h im ] o u t” an d

tellin g h im th at ev en th e j u d g e w as ag ain st h im

. H e later testif ied

, in co n sisten tly

, th at h e d id

tell co u n sel th at h e w as h earin g v o ices.

T rial co u n sel testif

ied th at h e to o k o v e r th e p etitio n er’s case in 2 0 0 5 af ter th e

p etitio n er’s o rig in al atto rn ey p assed aw ay

. T h ere w as n o th in g in th e o rig in al atto rn ey ’s f ile

to in d icate th e p etitio n er h ad a m en tal co n d itio n

. T h ere w as an in d icatio n “[ f ] ro m th e in tak e,

. . . a t o n e t i me i n t h e in tak e

. . . th at [ th e p etitio n er] h ad to ld th em th at h e h ad seen a

p sy ch o lo g ist th ere an d th ey ask ed h im if h e w as u n d er m ed icatio n an d if th ey h ad g iv en h im

an y an d h e said

, n o .” C o u n sel w as n o t aw a r e o f th e p etitio n er ev er b ein g p laced in th e “su icid e tan k ,” o r th at w o u ld h av e trig g ered a m en tal ev alu atio n

. H e said th at h e w o u ld o n ly

k n o w ab o u t an y m ed ical treatm en t t h e p etitio n er receiv ed in j ail if th e p etitio n er to ld h im

ab o u t it. Q u estio n ed w h eth er h e ask ed th e p etitio n er ab o u t an y m en tal h ealth issu es, co u n sel

ex p lain ed :

-5-Wh at I d id w ith [ th e p etitio n er] is lik e I d o w ith ev ery b o d y , I in terv iew

th em n u m ero u s tim es an d see if I b eliev e th at th ey are co m p eten t. N o w , I am

n o t a p sy ch iatrist, b u t I can sit th ere an d see, can th ey h elp m e, can th ey tell m e

w h at is g o in g o n an d h e d ef in itely co u ld

. T h e [ p etitio n er] th at I saw to d ay is

n o t th e o n e th at I saw a co u p le o f y ears ag o

.

C o u n sel testif

ied th at h e h ad m

u ltip le m eetin g s w ith th e p etitio n er, in clu d in g o n e len g th y m eetin g in w h ich th ey rev iew ed ap p licab le p o r t i o n s o f m o re th an f o rty h o u rs o f j ailh o u se p h o n e calls m ad e b y th e p etitio n er. C o u n sel d id n o t f e e l t h a t th e p etitio n er

ap p eared “ex trem ely erratic” in an y o f th o se p h o n e co n v ersatio n s. C o u n sel said th at h e h ad

w o rk ed in th e p u b lic d ef en d er’s o f

f ice f o r sev eral y ears an d th at th ey h ad a “sp ecial

em p h asis o n m en tal h ealth ty p e issu es an d [ w as]

. . . to ld

, rig h t o f f

, to b e esp ecially sen sitiv e

to th at.” H e said th at th e p etitio n er’s th o u g h t p ro cess seem ed “v ery q u ick ” an d th at h e “n ev er h eard an y

th in g ab o u t v o ices, o r seein g p eo p le. I can assu re y o u th at.”

O n cro ss-ex am in atio n , co u n sel r e c a l l e d th at th e p etitio n er h ad n o d if f icu lty

u n d erstan d in g w h en th e trial j u d g e ex p lain ed to h im ab o u t w h eth er h e w an ted to g o to trial,

an d co u n sel rem em

b ered th e p etitio n er say in g th at th e p lea o f f er w as to o lo n g an d th at h e

w an ted to g o to trial. C o u n sel d id n o t h av e an y p ro b lem s co m m u n icatin g w ith th e p etitio n er d u rin g trial. C o u n sel stated th at, h ad h e “an y in d icatio n th at [ th e p etitio n er] w as n o t

co m p eten t, o r h e w as n o t ab le to m ak e a d ecisio n th en

. . . I w o u ld h av e h ad h im ev alu ated .”

H e also n o ted th at a n u m b er o f o t h e r p e o p l e in th e p u b lic d ef en d er’s o f

f ice d ealt w ith th e

p etitio n er, an d th ere w as n o in d ictio n in th e f ile th at an y o n e h ad d etected a m en tal p ro b lem

.

A f ter th e co n clu sio n o f th e ev id en tiary h earin g , th e p o st-co n v ictio n co u rt m ad e o ral

f in d in g s, f o llo w ed b y a w ritten o rd er, d en y in g p o st-co n v ictio n relief

. T h e co u rt f

o u n d th at
th e p etitio n er f

ailed to p ro v e h is f

actu al alleg atio n s b y clear an d co n v in cin g ev i d e n ce an d

f ailed to sh o w th at co u n sel w as in ef f ectiv e o r th at h e w as p rej u d iced

.

A N A L Y S IS

T h e p etitio n er arg u es th a t h e r e c e i v ed th e in ef f ectiv e assistan ce o f co u n sel at trial,

sp ecif ically f o cu sin g o n co u n sel’s n o t seek in g a m en tal ev alu atio n

.

P o s t

- c o n v i c t i o n r e l i e f i s a v a i l a b l e t o a p e t i t i o n e r w h o e s t a b l i s h e s t h a t h i s o r h e r

c o n v i c t i o n o r s e n t e n c e i s v o i d o r v o i d a b l e b e c a u s e o f a n a b r i d g e m e n t o f a c o n s t i t u t i o n a l

r i g h t

. T e n n

. C o d e A n n

. § 4 0

- 3 0

- 1 0 3

. T h e p o s t

- c o n v i c t i o n p e t i t i o n e r b e a r s t h e b u r d e n o f

p r o v i n g h i s a l l e g a t i o n s b y c l e a r a n d c o n v i n c i n g e v i d e n c e

. I d

. § 4 0

- 3 0

- 1 1 0 ( f )

. W h e n a n

e v i d e n t i a r y h e a r i n g i s h e l d i n t h e p o s t

- c o n v i c t i o n s e t t i n g , t h e f i n d i n g s o f f

a c t m a d e b y t h e

p o s t

- c o n v i c t i o n c o u r t “ a r e e n t i t l e d t o s u b s t a n t i a l d e f e r e n c e o n a p p e a l u n l e s s t h e e v i d e n c e

-6-p r e p o n d e r a t e s a g a i n s t t h o s e f i n d i n g s

. ” F i e l d s v

. S t a t e , 4 0 S

. W

. 3 d 4 5 0

, 4 5 6 ( T e n n

. 2 0 0 1 ) ; s e e

a l s o T i d w e l l v

. S t a t e , 9 2 2 S

. W

. 2 d 4 9 7

, 5 0 0 ( T e n n

. 1 9 9 6 )

. W h e r e a p p e l l a t e r e v i e w i s o f

p u r e l y f a c t u a l i s s u e s , t h e a p p e l l a t e c o u r t s h o u l d n o t r e w e i g h o r r e e v a l u a t e t h e e v i d e n c e

. S e e
H e n l e y v

. S t a t e , 9 6 0 S

. W

. 2 d 5 7 2

, 5 7 8 ( T e n n

. 1 9 9 7 )

. H o w e v e r , r e v i e w o f a p o s t

- c o n v i c t i o n

c o u r t ’ s a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e l a w t o t h e f a c t s o f t h e c a s e i s d e n o v o , w i t h n o p r e s u m p t i o n o f

c o r r e c t n e s s

. S e e R u f

f v

. S t a t e , 9 7 8 S

. W

. 2 d 9 5

, 9 6 ( T e n n

. 1 9 9 8 )

. T h e i s s u e o f i n e f f e c t i v e

a s s i s t a n c e o f c o u n s e l

, w h i c h p r e s e n t s m i x e d q u e s t i o n s o f f a c t a n d l a w , i s r e v i e w e d d e n o v o ,

w i t h a p r e s u m p t i o n o f c o r r e c t n e s s g i v e n o n l y t o t h e p o s t

- c o n v i c t i o n c o u r t ’ s f i n d i n g s o f f

a c t

. S e e F i e l d s , 4 0 S

. W

. 3 d a t 4 5 8 ; B u r n s v

. S t a t e , 6 S

. W

. 3 d 4 5 3

, 4 6 1 ( T e n n

. 1 9 9 9 )

.

T h e r i g h t t o e f

f e c t i v e a s s i s t a n c e o f c o u n s e l i s s a f e g u a r d e d b y t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n s o f b o t h

t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s a n d t h e S t a t e o f T e n n e s s e e

. S e e U

. S

. C o n s t

. A m e n d

. V I ; T e n n

. C o n s t

. a r t

. I

, § 9

. O r d i n a r i l y , t o e s t a b l i s h t h a t h e w a s d e n i e d t h e e f f e c t i v e a s s i s t a n c e o f c o u n s e l

, t h e

p e t i t i o n e r h a s t h e b u r d e n t o s h o w b o t h t h a t t r i a l c o u n s e l ’ s p e r f o r m a n c e w a s d e f

i c i e n t a n d t h a t

c o u n s e l ’ s d e f

i c i e n t p e r f

o r m a n c e p r e

j u d i c e d t h e o u t c o m e o f t h e p r o c e e d i n g

. S t r i c k l a n d v

. W a s h i n g t o n , 4 6 6 U

. S

. 6 6 8

, 6 8 7 ( 1 9 8 4 ) ; s e e S t a t e v

. T a y l o r , 9 6 8 S

. W

. 2 d 9 0 0

, 9 0 5 ( T e n n

. C r i m

. A p p

. 1 9 9 7 ) ( n o t i n g t h a t s a m e s t a n d a r d f o r d e t e r m i n i n g i n e f

f e c t i v e a s s i s t a n c e o f

c o u n s e l t h a t i s a p p l i e d i n f e d e r a l c a s e s a l s o a p p l i e s i n T e n n e s s e e )

. T h e S t r i c k l a n d s t a n d a r d

i s a t w o

- p r o n g t e s t :

F i r s t

, t h e d e f

e n d a n t m u s t s h o w t h a t c o u n s e l ’ s p e r f o r m a n c e w a s d e f

i c i e n t

. T h i s

r e q u i r e s s h o w i n g t h a t c o u n s e l m a d e e r r o r s s o s e r i o u s t h a t c o u n s e l w a s n o t

f u n c t i o n i n g a s t h e “ c o u n s e l ” g u a r a n t e e d t h e d e f e n d a n t b y t h e S i x t h

A m e n d m e n t

. S e c o n d

, t h e d e f e n d a n t m u s t s h o w t h a t t h e d e f i c i e n t p e r f

o r m a n c e

p r e j u d i c e d t h e d e f

e n s e

. T h i s r e q u i r e s s h o w i n g t h a t c o u n s e l ’ s e r r o r s w e r e s o

s e r i o u s a s t o d e p r i v e t h e d e f e n d a n t o f a f

a i r t r i a l

, a t r i a l w h o s e r e s u l t i s r e l i a b l e

.

4 6 6 U

. S

. a t 6 8 7

.

T h e d e f i c i e n t p e r f

o r m a n c e p r o n g o f t h e t e s t i s s a t i s f i e d b y s h o w i n g t h a t “ c o u n s e l ’ s

a c t s o r o m i s s i o n s w e r e s o s e r i o u s a s t o f a l l b e l o w a n o b

j e c t i v e s t a n d a r d o f r e a s o n a b l e n e s s

u n d e r p r e v a i l i n g p r o f

e s s i o n a l n o r m s

. ” G o a d v

. S t a t e , 9 3 8 S

. W

. 2 d 3 6 3

, 3 6 9 ( T e n n

. 1 9 9 6 ) ( c i t i n g S t r i c k l a n d

, 4 6 6 U

. S

. a t 6 8 8 ; B a x t e r v

. R o s e , 5 2 3 S

. W

. 2 d 9 3 0

, 9 3 6 ( T e n n

. 1 9 7 5 ) )

. T h e

r e v i e w i n g c o u r t m u s t i n d u l g e a s t r o n g p r e s u m p t i o n t h a t t h e c o n d u c t o f c o u n s e l f a l l s w i t h i n

t h e r a n g e o f r e a s o n a b l e p r o f e s s i o n a l a s s i s t a n c e , s e e S t r i c k l a n d

, 4 6 6 U

. S

. a t 6 9 0

, a n d m a y n o t

s e c o n d

- g u e s s t h e t a c t i c a l a n d s t r a t e g i c c h o i c e s m a d e b y t r i a l c o u n s e l u n l e s s t h o s e c h o i c e s

w e r e u n i n f

o r m e d b e c a u s e o f i n a d e q u a t e p r e p a r a t i o n

. S e e H e l l a r d v

. S t a t e , 6 2 9 S

. W

. 2 d 4

, 9 ( T e n n

. 1 9 8 2 )

. “ T h e b e n c h m a r k f o r j u d g i n g a n y c l a i m o f i n e f f e c t i v e n e s s m u s t b e w h e t h e r

c o u n s e l ’ s c o n d u c t s o u n d e r m i n e d t h e p r o p e r f u n c t i o n i n g o f t h e a d v e r s a r i a l p r o c e s s t h a t t h e

t r i a l c a n n o t b e r e l i e d o n a s h a v i n g p r o d u c e d a j u s t r e s u l t

. ” S t r i c k l a n d

, 4 6 6 U

. S

. a t 6 8 6

.

-7-T h e p r e j u d i c e p r o n g o f t h e S t r i c k l a n d t e s t i s s a t i s f i e d b y s h o w i n g a r e a s o n a b l e

p r o b a b i l i t y , i

. e

. , a “ p r o b a b i l i t y s u f f i c i e n t t o u n d e r m i n e c o n f i d e n c e i n t h e o u t c o m e , ” t h a t “ b u t

f o r c o u n s e l ’ s u n p r o f

e s s i o n a l e r r o r s , t h e r e s u l t o f t h e p r o c e e d i n g w o u l d h a v e b e e n d i f f e r e n t

. ”

S t r i c k l a n d

, 4 6 6 U

. S

. a t 6 9 4

.

C o u r t s n e e d n o t a p p r o a c h t h e S t r i c k l a n d t e s t i n a s p e c i f i c o r d e r o r e v e n “ a d d r e s s b o t h

c o m p o n e n t s o f t h e i n q u i r y i f t h e d e f e n d a n t m a k e s a n i n s u f

f i c i e n t s h o w i n g o n o n e

. ” 4 6 6 U

. S

.

a t 6 9 7 ; s e e a l s o G o a d

, 9 3 8 S

. W

. 2 d a t 3 7 0 ( s t a t i n g t h a t “ f a i l u r e t o p r o v e e i t h e r d e f i c i e n c y o r

p r e j u d i c e p r o v i d e s a s u f

f i c i e n t b a s i s t o d e n y r e l i e f o n t h e i n e f f e c t i v e a s s i s t a n c e c l a i m ” )

.

With reg ard to co u n sel’s n o t req u estin g a m en tal ev alu atio n , th e co u rt o b serv ed th at
th e p etitio n er h ad n o t p resen ted an y d o cu m en tatio n o r ex am in atio n s to sh o w th at h e h ad a

m en tal p ro b lem

. T h e co u r t a l s o n o ted co u n sel’s testim o n y th at h e d id n o t o b serv e in h is

n u m ero u s in teractio n s w ith th e p e t i t i o n er an y in d icatio n th at th e p etitio n er h ad a m en tal

p r o b l e m o r “actio n w o u ld h av e b een tak en .” T h e co u rt d eterm in ed th at th e p etitio n er’ s “cred ib ility is j u st n o t g o o d an d th o se ty p es o f issu es w ill h av e to b e d ecid ed in f av o r o f [ co u n sel] .” T h e co u rt n o ted th at “w h en [ t h e p e t itio n er] testif ied

, h e tried to m ak e it seem

as th o u g h h e is h av in g d if f icu lty an d h earin g v o i c e s

. Y e t

, h e seem s to co m m u n icate w ell

w ith h i s a t t o rn ey in th e co u rtro o m , as w ell as w ith co u rt p erso n n el.” T h e co u rt p erceiv ed

th at “[ i] t j u st seem s as th o u g h th is is a case o f m alin g erin g .”

T h e reco rd su p p o rts th e p o st-co n v ictio n co u rt’s d eterm in atio n s. T h e p etitio n er d id

n o t o b tain a m en tal ev alu atio n o r su b m it an y d o cu m en tatio n th at su p p o rted h is claim th at h e

su f f ered f ro m a m en tal p ro b lem

. C o u n sel, an ex p erien ced atto rn ey w h o w as “esp ecia lly

sen sitiv e” to lo o k in g f

o r m en tal h ealth issu es, w as n o t in f o rm ed o f an d d id n o t o b serv e an y i n d i catio n th at th e p etitio n er w as su f f erin g f ro m a m en tal h ealth p ro b lem

. T h e p o s t

co n v ictio n co u rt j u d g ed th e cred ib ility o f th e w itn esse s a n d d eterm in ed th e p etitio n er’s

testim o n y to b e n o t cred ib le, as w as its p ro v in ce. T h e p etitio n er f ailed to p ro v e th at co u n sel

p erf o rm ed d ef

icien tly o r th at an y

d ef icien cy cau sed h im

p rej u d ice.

We n o te th at af

ter th e p arties su b m itted th eir b rief s in th is case, th e p etitio n er

su b m itt e d a p ro se b rief

, assertin g th at h e w as d en ied f irst-tier ap p eal o f h is o rig in al p o stco n v ictio n p etitio n , h is co n v ictio n w as b ased o n ev id en ce o b tain ed p u rsu an t to an u n law f u l

arrest, an d th e cap tio n in h is in d ictm en t w as f atally d ef ectiv e. We in itially n o te th at, in lig h t

o f th e f act th at th e p etitio n er is rep resen ted b y co u n sel, w e co n sid er o n ly co u n sel’s ap p ellate

b r ief

, an d n o t th at p rep ared an d f iled b y th e p etitio n er h im self

. S ee S tate v

. L y o n s, 2 9

S .W.3 d 4 8 , 5 1 (T en n . C rim . A p p . 1 9 9 9 ).

In an y ev en t, th e p etitio n er su f f ered n o p rej u d ice as to h is claim th at h e w as d en ied

f irst-tier ap p ellate rev i e w of hi s pos t

- c onvictio n p etitio n b ecau se h is p o st-co n v ictio n co u n sel

-8-d id n o t f

ile a tim ely n o tice o f ap p eal b ecau se th e reco rd sh o w s th at th e m atter w as ad d ressed

,

n ew c o u n sel w as ap p o in ted to assist th e p etitio n er o n ap p eal, an d th is co u rt h as n o w th o ro u g h ly rev iew ed th e p etitio n er’s claim s. With reg ard to h is alleg atio n s o f an u n law f u l

arrest an d d ef

ectiv e in d ictm en t, su ch issu es are w aiv ed b ecau se th ey w ere n o t p resen ted o n d irect ap p eal. S ee T en n

. C o d e A n n

. § 4 0 -3 0 -1 0 6 (g ) (statin g th at a g ro u n d f o r relief is

w aiv ed if th e p etitio n er p erso n all y o r th ro u g h an atto rn ey f ailed to p resen t it f

o r d eterm in atio n in an y p ro ceed in g b e f o re a co u rt o f co m

p eten t j u risd ictio n in w h ich th e

g ro u n d co u ld h av e b een p resen ted ).

C O N C L U S I O N

B a s e d o n t h e f

o r e g o i n g a u t h o r i t i e s a n d r e a s o n i n g , w e a f f i r m t h e d e n i a l o f t h e p e t i t i o n

.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ A L A N E

. G L E N N

, J U D G E

-9-