Opinion ID: 857090
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Ineffective Assistance of Sentencing Counsel

Text: Warren next alleges that Theodore Nantz, the courtappointed attorney who succeeded Wynn, was also unconstitutionally ineffective. Warren argues that Nantz No. 12-1148 23 was ineffective for failing to raise the same issues he claims Wynn should have raised: that the court could not be certain Warren was competent to enter the plea, and that Warren’s alleged lack of knowledge of the Washingtons’ statements led to his plea being unknowing. Again, the state court bypassed this argument, and we review it de novo. Cone, 556 U.S. at 472. Setting aside the fact that a defendant is not entitled to have counsel raise every non-frivolous claim, Jones v. Barnes, 463 U.S. 745, 754 (1983), we have found that these arguments lack merit. Counsel is not ineffective for failing to raise meritless claims. United States v. Stewart, 388 F.3d 1079, 1085 (7th Cir. 2004); Steward v. Gilmore, 80 F.3d 1205, 1212 (7th Cir. 1996).