Opinion ID: 853352
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Failure to Tender Jury Instruction on Life Without Parole

Text: Wrinkles argued before the post-conviction court that counsel were ineffective for failing to tender a jury instruction on life without parole. Indiana Code section 35-50-2-9(d) requires a trial court in a capital case to instruct the jury on the statutory penalties for murder: death, life without parole, or a term of years. Although the trial court failed to give such an instruction, we held on direct appeal that the error was not reversible. Wrinkles, 690 N.E.2d at 1171. Having reached that conclusion, we also conclude that for the same reasons, counsel did not render ineffective assistance. See Douglas v. State, 634 N.E.2d 811, 821 (Ind.Ct.App. 1994) (holding that if there is no reversible error, then the prejudice prong of ineffective assistance of counsel is not met), trans. denied; see also Holleman v. State, 641 N.E.2d 638, 641 (Ind.Ct.App.1994) (holding that absent a showing of any reversible error at trial, the defendant could not establish on post-conviction that counsel was ineffective), trans. denied.