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

Ass ig ne d o n B rie fs Ju ne 7, 2 01 1

TRAVIS WARD 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 8

- 0 0 8 3 2 J a m e s L a m m e y , J r

. , J u d g e

N o

. W 2 0 1 0

- 0 2 2 7 0

- C C A

- R 3

- P C

- F i l e d J u l y 2 9
, 2 0 1 1

T h e p etitio n er, T rav is Ward

, ap p eals th e p o st-co n v i c t io 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

, arg u i n g t h a t h e receiv ed th e in ef f ectiv e assistan ce o f co u n sel an d

en tered an u n k n o w in g an d in v o lu n tary g u ilty p lea. 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 A M E S C U R W O O D W IT T
, J R

.

a n d N O R M A M C G E E O G LE
, J J

. , j o i n e d

.

M e l o d y M

. O l i v e r , E l l e n d a l e , T e n n e s s e e , f o r t h e a p p e l l a n t

, T r a v i s W a r d

.

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 ;
W i l l i a m L

. G i b b o n s , 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 K e v i n R a r d i n , 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

In ex ch an g e f

o r a reco m m en d ed sen ten ce o f f if teen y ears, th e p etitio n er p led g u ilty

to o n e co u n t o f esp ecially ag g rav ated ro b b ery d u e to h is in v o lv em en t in th e ro b b ery o f th e

p ro p rieto r o f a lau n d ro m at. T h e f acts o f th e case, as recited b y th e S tate at th e p lea h earin g ,

w ere as f o llo w s:

[ O ] n O cto b er 3 1 st, o f 2 0 0 7

, H allo w een n ig h t, th e v ictim

, M r. E u n M o k

, w as

p rep arin g to sh u t d o w n h is b u sin ess th at h e o w n ed an d o p e r a t e d

, G eo rg ian

H ill C o in L au n d ro m at.S h o rtly b ef o re h is clo sin g , an in d iv id u al w h o w as k n o w n to h i m,

. . . a f o u rteen -y ear-o ld j u v en ile, . . . cam e in an d ask ed to u se th e p h o n e. S in ce M r. M o k h ad k n o w n [ th e j u v en ile] f o r a p erio d o f so m e tw o -an d -h alf to th ree

y ears, h e w as allo w ed to d o so

.

[ T h e j u v en ile] th en lef

t o u t o f t h e L a u n d ro m at, cam e b ack in

, an d

, ag ain , ask ed to u se th e p h o n e. T h is tim e, w h ile [ th e j u v en ile] w as u sin g th e

p h o n e, w h ich w as lo cated in sid e a g lass en clo su re, th at req u ired M r. M o k to

g o in

, o p en th e b ack d o o r to th e g lass en clo su re an d slid e th e g lass w in d o w s
at th e f ro n t o f th e g lass en clo su re o p en to allo w [ th e j u v e n i l e ] to u se th e

p h o n e.

Wh ile [ th e j u v en ile] w as o n th e p h o n e, tw o in d iv i d u a l s c am e in

w earin g m ask s. O n e in d iv id u al sh o v ed a g u n th ro u g h th e slid in g g lass d o o r. T h e o th er in d iv id u al cam e in th e b ack d o o r o f th e g lass en clo su re, d em an d ed
th e m o n ey , w as sh o w n b y M r. M o k w h ere th e m o n ey w as. H e g rab b ed th e

m o n ey

. H e h an d ed so m e o f th e ro lled ch an g e th ro u g h th e w in d o w to th e m an

arm ed w ith a w eap o n

.

A t w h ich tim e, th at m an p u lled th e g u n in

, u sed b o th h an d s to secu re th e m o n ey in h is lef

t h a[ n ] d

. H e, th en , ex ten d ed h is rig h t arm b ack th ro u g h
th e w in d o w , ap p ears to sq u are u p o n th e v ictim w h o w as last seen h o ld in g h is
h a n d s o n to p o f h is h ead in a co m p letely d ef

en seless p o sitio n , an d p u l l t h e trig g er.

M r. M o k w as stru ck b y th is w eap o n , an d d id h av e a b u llet en try to th e b ack o f h is lef t calf

.

P o lice o f f icers resp o n d ed to th e scen e, an d M r. M o k w as tak en to th e M e d

. W a s l e a r n ed th ere w as a v id eo su rv eillan ce o f th is en tire in cid en t. It

w as all trap p ed o n tap e.

A M r. T im o th y Jo h n so n w a s s e e n to g o in in b etw een th e tw o tim es th at [ th e j u v en ile] w en t in to th e L au n d ro m at, an d g et a d rin k o f w ater. A n d
h e w as seen to b e stan d in g rig h t o u tsid e th e L au n d ro m at.

T h ere are eig h t d if

f eren t cam eras o n th is v id eo su rv eillan ce, w h o w ere ab le to see [ th e j u v en ile]

, alo n g w ith M r. M ack lin

, [ th e p eti t i o n e r]

, M r. C arm ich ael, an d M r. Jo h n so n , all stan d in g o u tsid e talk in g t o e a c h o th er,

w aitin g o n co rn ers, ap p aren tly

, w aitin g f o r th e last cu sto m er to leav e, w aitin g

-2-w h ile th at cu sto m er h ad car tro u b le, u n til h e actu ally p u lled o u t, b ef

o re th ey

w en t in to th e b u ild in g th e last tim e.

M r. Jo h n so n ’s f

ace w as n o t c o v e r ed

. H is f ace w as p u t o n a m ed ia release, an d a C rim e S to p p er[ s] tip cam e in n am in g h im as T im o th y Jo h n so n

. M r. Jo h n so n w as tak en in to cu sto d y

. H e d id n am e as h is co d ef en d an ts, [ th e j u v en ile]

, M r. C arm ich ael; [ th e p etitio n er] an d C h arles M ack lin

, w h o are

p lead in g g u ilty

to d ay

.

T h ey w ere o rig in ally ch arg ed o n ly w ith esp ecially ag g rav ated ro b b ery d u e to th e in

j u ry M o k su f

f ered

. E ach o f th em g av e a co n f essio n to th eir p art
in th e ro b b ery , at least to so m e d eg ree. M r. M a c k l i n , a t t h at tim e, in d icated
th at th e g u n h ad j u st g o n e o f f accid en tally

.

A f ter rev iew in g th e v id eo , it is v ery clear th at th e g u n is b ro u g h t o u t o f
th e w in d o w , u sed to secu re th e m o n ey , an d th en th e g u n is stu ck b ack th ro u g h
th e w in d o w , an d th e sh o t is f ired

. A n d th at is th e r e a s o n w h y M r. M ack lin

,

an d M r. M ack lin , alo n e, w as in d icted w ith th e ad d itio n al ch arg e o f crim in al

attem p t m u rd er f irst.

. . . .

[ T h e p etitio n er ] i s th e in d iv id u al w h o w en t in an d g rab b ed th e m o n ey an d
h an d ed it th ro u g h to th e g u n m an , as w as later learn ed f ro m th e in v estig atio n

o f h is co d ef

en d an ts an d h is o w n statem en t. A n d M r. M ack lin w as th e o n e

w ith th e g u n

.

T h e p etitio n er f

iled a tim ely p etitio n f

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

, alleg in g th at h is g u ilty

p lea w as u n k n o w in g ly an d in v o lu n tarily en tered

, th at h e receiv ed th e in ef f ectiv e assistan ce

o f co u n sel, an d th at h is j u v en ile tran sf er h earin g w as illeg al. T h e trial co u rt co n d u cted an 1

ev id en tiary h e arin g , at w h ich th e p etitio n er’s trial co u n sel testif ied th at it w as h is h ab it to

m eet w ith h is clien ts at ev ery co u rt d ate, an d h e rem em b ered h av in g at least th ree j ail v isits

w ith th e p etitio n er as w ell. T h e p etitio n er w as a j u v en ile a t t h e t im e o f th e crim e, an d

co u n sel co m m

u n icated w ith b o th th e p etitio n er a n d h i s mo t h er. C o u n sel said th at it w as d if f icu lt to se e a s e v en teen -y ear-o ld tak e a f if teen -y ear sen ten ce, b u t h e reiterated th at th e crim e w as reco rd ed o n v id eo tap e so “th ere w asn ’t a w h o le lo t o f d ef en se th at [ h e] co u ld

co m e u p w ith f

o r [ th e p etitio n er] .” C o u n sel stated th at th e p e t i t i o n er u n d ersto o d th e

No eviden ce con cer nin g the al le gatio n re gardi ng the tr ans fe r hea ri ng was off er ed at the eviden ti ar y 1

hea ri ng, and t he i ssu e was not pur sue d on app eal

.

-3-co n seq u en ces o f h is g u ilty p lea “[ a] s f ar as [ h e] co u ld tell[ .] ” C o u n sel said th at h e d iscu ssed

w ith th e p etitio n er th at th e sen ten ce w o u l d b e serv ed at 1 0 0 % an d w h eth er it w as in th e

p etitio n er’s b est in terest to p lead g u ilty

. C o u n sel ad m itted th at h e d id n o t sp eak w ith an y o f

t h e w itn esses b ef

o re th e im

p en d in g trial d ate b u t ex p lain ed th at h e d id n o t d o so b ec a u s e “th e p ro b lem th at [ th e p etitio n er] h a d w a s th at h e w as o n v id eo tap e as b ein g th e o n e th at

w en t b eh in d th e co u n ter.”

O n cro ss-ex am in atio n , co u n sel testif ied th at w h en h e w a s a p p o in ted

, h e h ad

p rev io u sly h an d led at least f o rty C lass A f

elo n y cases. In th e p etitio n er’s case, co u n sel f iled
h is stan d ard m o tio n s, in clu d in g a d isco v ery m o tio n , an d receiv ed d isco v ery f ro m th e S tate.
C o u n sel rev iew ed th e d isco v ery m aterials w ith th e p etitio n er an d th e p etitio n er’s m o th er. C o u n sel ex p lain ed th e p etitio n er’s o p tio n s to h im an d th e ran g e o f p u n ish m en t h e f aced

. A f ter d iscu ssin g th e f

acts o f th e case w ith th e p etitio n er an d h is m o th er, “it w as d ecid ed th at
i t w a s i n h is b est in terest f o r h im to tak e th at g u ilty p lea as h e w as ex p o sin g h im self t o

p o ten tial m o re tim e at a h u n d red p ercen t w ith in th e sy stem .”

T h e p etitio n er testif

ied th at h e w as sev en teen y ears o ld w h en h e w as ch arg ed in th is

case an d eig h teen w h en h e p led g u ilty

. H e said th at th e eig h th g rad e w as th e last g rad e h e

co m p leted

. T h e p etitio n er claim ed th at co u n sel w as in ef f ectiv e in p rep arin g h im f o r th e

g u ilty p lea in th at h e d id n o t g iv e th e p etitio n er a “p ro p er u n d erstan d in g o f

. . . f if teen y ears at a h u n d red p ercen t.” H e th o u g h t th at h is o f f en se w as g o in g to b e lo w ered to ag g rav ated

ro b b ery an d th at “it w as g o in g to b e lik e a eig h t-y ear sen ten ce o r so m eth in g .” H o w ev er, th e

p etitio n er ad m itted th at co u n sel w en t o v er all o f th e g u ilty

p lea p ap erw o rk w ith h im

.

T h e p etitio n er stated th at co u n sel m et w ith h im tw o o r th ree tim es b ef o re th e g u ilty

p lea an d talk ed to h im ab o u t th e f act th at th ere w as v id eo su rv eillan ce o f th e ro b b ery

. H e d id n o t rem em

b er co u n sel ev er talk in g to h im ab o u t w h eth er it w o u ld b e in h is b est in terest

to p lead g u ilty

. A sk ed w h eth er th ere w as an y th in g else h e b e liev ed co u n sel sh o u ld h av e d o n e th at w o u ld h av e m ad e h im u n d erstan d t h e g u i l t y p lea, th e p etitio n er stated

, “N o t really .”

A sk ed o n cro ss-ex am in atio n w h at th e p etitio n er th o u g h t co u n sel sh o u ld h av e d o n e b u t d id n o t d o , th e p etitio n er said

, “I th in k I co u ld h av e g o t really it d ro p p ed d o w n to a

ag g rav ated ro b b ery .” H o w ev er, h e ack n o w led g ed th at h e w as in d icted f o r esp ecially

ag g rav ated ro b b ery an d th at h e w as cap tu red o n t h e s u rv eillan ce v id eo p articip atin g in an

arm ed ro b b ery w h ere a p erso n w as sh o t. T h e p etitio n er ad m itted th at co u n sel m et w ith h im

an d d iscu ssed th e S tate’s ev id en ce ag ain st h im

.

T h e p etitio n er ac k n o w l e d g e d th at h e k n ew h e h ad a rig h t to g o to trial b u t d ecid ed

to p lead g u ilty b ecau se h e w as co n cern ed th at h e mi g h t b e s en ten ced to m o re th an f if teen

-4-y ears if h e w ere co n v icted b y a j u ry

. T h e p etitio n er ad m itted th at th e j u d g e ask ed h i m

q u estio n s w h en h e en tered h is p lea, in clu d in g w h eth er co u n sel h ad ex p lain ed ev ery th in g to
h im an d w h eth er h e u n d ersto o d th e p lea, an d th a t h e h a d an sw ered af f irm ativ ely

. T h e

p etitio n er f

u rth er ad m itted th at, at th e co llo q u y , h e af f irm ed to th e j u d g e th at h e u n d ersto o d
th at h is sen ten ce w o u ld b e serv ed at 1 0 0 % an d th at n o o n e h ad f o rced o r co erced h im in to

p lead in g g u ilty

.

A f ter th e h earin g , th e p o st-co n v ictio n co u rt issu ed an o ral ru l i ng de ny in g th e p etitio n

. T h e co u rt f

o u n d th at th e trial j u d g e h ad “v o ir d ired [ th e p etitio n er] ex ten siv ely ” in accep tin g th e p lea, in f

o rm in g h im

th at h e w o u ld f

ace a sen ten ce o f f

if teen to six ty

y ears if co n v icted
af ter a trial an d th at h is sen ten ce w o u ld b e serv ed at 1 0 0 %

. T h e co u rt o b serv ed th at “eith er [ th e p etitio n er] w as ly in g to d ay o r w as ly in g th en b u t a p p a r e n t l y h e u n d ersto o d th e

ram if icatio n s o f p lead in g g u ilty .” T h e co u rt also f o u n d th at th e p etitio n er’s co n ten tio n th at
h e th o u g h t h e sh o u ld h av e o n ly “g o tten ag g rav ated ro b b ery . . . f lies in th e f

ace o f th e f

act
if so m eo n e’s sh o t an d receiv ed serio u s b o d [ ily ] in j u ry d u rin g an ag g r a v a ted ro b b ery , th at b eco m es esp ecially -ag g rav ated ro b b ery .” T h e co u rt o b serv ed th at th e p e t i t io n er w as “streetw ise” an d th eref

o re f o u n d th at th e p etitio n er’s ag e h ad n o b earin g o n th e k n o w in g an d
in tellig en t n atu re o f h is g u ilty p lea. T h e co u r t f o u n d th at co u n sel “d id a g o o d j o b ” in

rep resen tin g th e p etitio n er an d th at “n o t g o in g to trial actu ally sav ed [ th e p etitio n er] ten m o re

y ears at a h u n d red p ercen t.”

A N A L Y S IS

O n ap p eal, th e p etitio n er arg u es th at h e receiv ed th e in ef f ectiv e assistan ce o f co u n sel

an d en tered an u n k n o w in g a n d i n v o lu n tary g u ilty p lea. P o st-co n v ictio n relief “sh all b e

g ran ted w h en th e co n v ictio n o r sen ten ce is v o id o r v o id ab le b ecau se o f th e ab rid g m en t o f

an y rig h t g u aran teed b y t h e C o n stitu tio n o f T en n essee o r th e C o n stitu tio n o f th e U n ited
S tates.” T en n

. C o d e A n n

. § 4 0 -3 0 -1 0 3 (2 0 0 6 ). T h e p etitio n er b ears th e b u rd en o f p ro v in g f actu al alleg atio n s b y clear an d co n v in cin g ev id en ce. Id

. § 4 0 -3 0 -1 1 0 (f )

. W h en an

ev id en tiary h earin g is h eld in th e p o st-co n v ict io n settin g , th e f in d in g s o f f

act m ad e b y th e

co u rt are co n clu siv e o n ap p eal u n less th e ev id en ce p rep o n d erates ag ain st th em

. S ee Wiley

v

. S tate, 1 8 3 S .W.3 d 3 1 7

, 3 2 5 (T en n

. 2 0 0 6 ). Wh en rev iew in g f actu al issu es, th e ap p ellate

co u rt w ill n o t rew eig h th e ev id en ce an d w ill in stead d ef er to th e trial co u rt’s f

in d in g s as to th e cred ib ility o f w itn esses o r th e w eig h t o f th eir testim o n y

. Id

. H o w ev er, rev iew o f a trial

c o u rt’s ap p licatio n o f th e law to th e f acts o f th e case is d

e n o vo , w ith n o p r e s u mp t i o n o f

co rrectn ess. S ee R u f

f v . S tate, 9 7 8 S .W.2 d 9 5

, 9 6 (T en n

. 1 9 9 8 ). T h e issu e o f in ef f ectiv e assistan ce o f co u n sel, w h ich p resen ts m ix ed q u estio n s o f f act an d law

, is rev iew ed d e n o vo ,

w ith a p resu m

p tio n o f co rrectn ess g iv en o n ly to th e p o st-co n v ictio n co u rt’s f in d in g s o f f

act.
S ee F ield s v

. S tate, 4 0 S .W.3 d 4 5 0

, 4 5 8 (T en n

. 2 0 0 1 ); B u rn s v

. S tate, 6 S .W.3 d 4 5 3

, 4 6 1 (T en n . 1 9 9 9 ).

-5-T h e rig h t to ef f ectiv e assistan ce o f co u n sel is saf eg u ard e d b y th e C o n stitu tio n s o f
b o t h t h e U n ited S tates an d th e S tate o f T en n essee. S ee U .S

. C o n st. A m en d

. V I; T en n

. C o n st. art. I, § 9

. T o estab lish a claim o f in ef f ectiv e assistan ce o f co u n sel, th e p etitio n er h as

t h e b u rd en to sh o w b o th th at trial co u n sel’s p erf o rm an ce w as d ef

icien t an d th at co u n s e l ’ s d ef icien t p erf

o rm an ce p rej u d iced th e o u tco m e o f th e p ro ceed in g

. S trick lan d v

. Wash in g to n , 4 6 6 U .S

. 6 6 8

, 6 8 7 ( 1 9 8 4 ) ; see S tate v

. T ay lo r, 9 6 8 S .W.2 d 9 0 0

, 9 0 5 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. 1 9 9 7 ) (n o tin g th at sam e stan d ard f o r d eterm in in g in ef

f ectiv e assistan ce o f co u n sel th at is

ap p lied in f

ed eral cases also ap p lies in T en n essee). T h e S trick lan d stan d ard is a tw o -p ro n g
test:

F irst, the d ef

en d an t m u st sh o w th at co u n sel’s p erf o rm an ce w as d ef

icien t. T h is

req u ires sh o w in g t h at co u n sel m ad e erro rs so serio u s th at co u n sel w as n o t
f u n ctio n in g as th e “co u n sel” g u aran te ed th e d ef en d an t b y th e S ix th

A m en d m en t. Se c o n d

, th e d ef en d an t m u st sh o w th at th e d ef

icien t p erf

o rm an ce

p rej u d iced th e d ef

en se. T h is req u ires sh o w in g th at co u n sel’s erro rs w ere so serio u s as to d ep riv e th e d e f e n d an t o f a f

air trial, a trial w h o se resu lt is
reliab le.

4 6 6 U .S . at 6 8 7

.

T h e d ef icien t p erf

o rm an ce p ro n g o f th e test is satisf ied b y sh o w in g th at “co u n sel’s

acts o r o m issio n s w ere so serio u s as to f all b elo w an o b

j ectiv e stan d ard o f

reaso n ab len ess

u n d er p rev ailin g p ro f

essio n al n o rm s.” G o ad v

. S tate, 9 3 8 S .W.2 d 3 6 3

, 3 6 9 (T e n n

. 1 9 9 6 ) (citin g S trick lan d

, 4 6 6 U .S

. at 6 8 8 ; B ax ter v

. R o se, 5 2 3 S .W.2 d 9 3 0

, 9 3 6 (T en n

. 1 9 7 5 )).

T h e rev iew in g co u rt m

u st i n d u l g e a stro n g p resu m p tio n th at th e co n d u ct o f co u n sel f alls

w ith in th e ran g e o f reaso n ab le p ro f essio n al assistan ce, see S trick lan d

, 4 6 6 U .S

. at 6 9 0

, an d

m ay n o t seco n d -g u ess th e tactical an d strateg ic ch o ices m ad e b y trial co u n sel u n less th o se

c h o i ces w ere u n in f

o rm ed b ecau se o f in ad eq u ate p rep aratio n

. S ee H ellard v

. S tate, 6 2 9
S .W.2 d 4

, 9 (T e n n

. 1 9 8 2 )

. T h e p rej u d ice p ro n g o f th e test is satisf ied b y sh o w in g a

reaso n ab le p ro b ab ility

, i.e

. , a “p ro b ab ility su f f icien t to u n d erm in e co n f id en ce in th e

o u tco m e,” th at “b u t f

o r co u n sel’s u n p ro f

essio n al erro rs, th e resu lt o f th e p ro ceed in g w o u ld
h av e b een d if

f eren t.” S trick lan d

, 4 6 6 U .S

. at 6 9 4

. “In cases in v o lv in g a g u ilty p lea o r p lea

o f n o l o c o n t e n d ere, th e p etitio n er m u st sh o w ‘p rej u d ice’ b y d em o n stratin g th at, b u t f o r

co u n sel’s erro rs, h e w o u ld n o t h av e p lead ed g u ilty b u t w o u ld h av e in sisted u p o n g o in g to trial.” H ick s v

. S tate, 9 8 3 S .W.2 d 2 4 0

, 2 4 6 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. 1 9 9 8 ) (citin g H ill v

. L o c k h a r t

, 4 7 4 U .S

. 5 2

, 5 9 (1 9 8 5 ); B an k sto n v

. S tate, 8 1 5 S .W.2 d 2 1 3

, 2 1 5 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p . 1 9 9 1 )).

Wh en an aly

zin g a g u ilty p lea, w e lo o k to th e f ed eral stan d ard an n o u n ced in B o y k in

v

. A lab am a, 3 9 5 U .S

. 2 3 8 (1 9 6 9 )

, a n d th e state stan d ard set o u t in S tate v

. M ack ey , 5 5 3

-6-S .W.2 d 3 3 7 (T en n

. 1 9 7 7 ). S tate v

. P ettu s, 9 8 6 S .W.2 d 5 4 0

, 5 4 2 (T en n

. 1 9 9 9 ). In B o y k in

, th e U n ited S tates S u p rem e C o u rt h eld th at th ere m u st b e an af

f irm ativ e sh o w in g in th e trial

co u rt th at a g u ilty p lea w as v o lu n tarily an d k n o w in g ly g iv en b ef o re it can b e accep ted

. 3 9 5

U .S

. at 2 4 2

. S i mi l a r l y , in M ack ey , o u r su p rem e co u rt req u ired an af f irm ativ e sh o w in g o f

a v o lu n tary an d k n o w led g eab le g u ilty p lea, n am ely

, th at th e d ef en d an t h as b een m ad e aw are

o f th e sig n if

ican t co n seq u en ces o f

su ch a p lea. P ettu s, 9 8 6 S .W.2 d at 5 4 2

.

A p lea is n o t “v o lu n tary ” if it resu lts f r o m i g n o ran ce, m isu n d erstan d in g , co ercio n , in d u cem en ts, o r th reats. B lan k en sh ip v

. S tate, 8 5 8 S .W.2 d 8 9 7

, 9 0 4 (T en n

. 1 9 9 3 ). T h e trial

co u rt m u st d eterm in e if th e g u ilty p lea is “k n o w in g ” b y q u estio n in g th e d ef en d an t to m ak e

su re h e f u lly u n d erstan d s th e p lea an d its co n seq u en ces. P ettu s , 9 8 6 S .W.2 d at 5 4 2 ; B lan k en sh ip

, 8 5 8 S .W.2 d at 9 0 4

. B ecau se th e p lea m u st rep resen t a v o lu n t a r y a n d
in tellig en t ch o ice am o n g th e altern ativ es av ailab le to th e d ef en d an t, th e trial co u rt m ay lo o k

at a n u m b er o f circu m stan tial f

acto rs in m ak in g th is d eterm in atio n

. B lan k en s h ip

, 8 5 8
S .W.2 d at 9 0 4

. T h ese f acto rs in clu d e: (1 ) th e d ef en d an t’s relativ e i n t e llig en ce; (2 ) h is
f am iliarity w ith crim in al p ro ceed in g s; (3 ) w h eth er h e w as rep resen ted b y co m p eten t co u n sel

an d h ad th e o p p o rtu n ity to co n f er w ith co u n sel ab o u t altern ativ es; (4 ) th e ad v ice o f co u n sel

an d th e co u rt ab o u t th e ch arg es ag ain st h i m a n d t h e p en alty to b e im p o sed ; an d (5 ) th e d ef en d an t’s reaso n s f

o r p lead in g g u ilty

, in clu d in g th e d esire to av o id a g reater p en alty in a j u ry trial. Id . at 9 0 4 -0 5

.

We co n clu d e th at th e reco rd f u lly su p p o rts th e f

in d in g s an d co n clu sio n s o f th e p o stco n v ictio n co u rt th at th e p etitio n er receiv ed ef f ectiv e assistan ce o f c o u n sel an d th at h is

g u ilty p lea w as k n o w in g , in tellig en t, an d v o lu n tary

. T h e p etitio n er’s testim o n y th at h e d id

n o t f u lly u n d erstan d h is g u ilty p lea w as d iscred ited b y th e p o s t

- c o n v ictio n co u rt, w h ich
f o u n d in stead th at th e p etitio n er “w as f u lly aw are o f th e ram if

icatio n s an d f

u lly aw are o f

w h at h e w as d o in g w h en h e p led g u ilty to f if teen y ears. ” T h e p o st-co n v ictio n co u rt also
f o u n d th at th e p etitio n er w as “streetw ise,” th u s g iv in g n o w eig h t to h is y o u th , an d th at th e

p etitio n er av o id ed a g reater p en alty b y p lead in g g u ilty

. T h e tran scrip t f ro m th e g u ilty p lea
h earin g rev eals th at th e p etitio n er ack n o w led g ed th at co u n sel h ad rev iew ed th e p lea w it h
h im

, th at h e u n d ersto o d th e p lea, an d th at h e h ad n o q u estio n s co n cern in g th e ch arg e ag ain st
h im

. T h e tran scrip t also sh o w s th at th e trial co u rt clearly ap p rised th e p etitio n er o f t h e

o f f en se to w h ich h e w as p lead in g as w ell as th e sen ten ce h e w as receiv in g an d th at it h ad to b e serv ed at 1 0 0 %

. T h e p etitio n er h as n o t m et h is b u rd en o f p ro v in g th at h is g u ilty p lea w as

u n k n o w in g ly , u n in tellig en tly , o r in v o lu n tarily en tered

.

With reg ard to th e ef

f ectiv en ess o f co u n sel, th e p etitio n er af f irm ed to th e trial co u rt

at th e g u ilty p lea h earin g th at co u n sel ex p lain ed ev ery th in g to h im

, th at h e w as satisf ied w ith

co u n sel’s rep resen tatio n , an d th at h e k n ew o f n o th in g th at h e w an ted co u n sel to d o th at h e d id n o t d o

. A t th e ev id en tiary h earin g , co u n sel testif ied th at h e m et w ith th e p etitio n er a

-7-n u m

b er o f tim es, th o ro u g h ly

d iscu ssed th e p lea w ith h im , an d d iscu ssed w h eth er it w as in
th e p etitio n er’s b est in terest to p lead g u ilty . T h e p o st-co n v ictio n co u rt f o u n d th at co u n sel
“d id a g o o d j o b ” in rep resen tin g h is clien t w h o w as reco rd ed o n v id eo “o b v io u sly in v o lv ed
in an esp ecially -ag g rav ated ro b b er y a n d

. . . k n o w in g f u ll w ell th at h e w o u ld h av e b een f acin g really tw en ty -f

iv e y ears h ad h e b e e n c o n v icted [ .] ” T h e p etitio n er h as n o t m et h is
b u rd en o f p ro v in g th at co u n sel ren d ered in ef f ectiv e assistan ce.

C O N C L U S IO N

B ased o n th e f

o reg o in g au th o rities an d reaso n in g , w e af f irm th e d en ial o f th e pe t i t i on.

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

. G L E N N

, J U D G E

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