Opinion ID: 1059121
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: prior proceedings and present habeas claims

Text: Timothy Jerman, the petitioner, was indicted in the Circuit Court of Fairfax County for first-degree murder and abduction. A jury convicted him of second-degree murder and abduction. The Court of Appeals of Virginia reversed Jerman's abduction conviction. Jerman v. Commonwealth, 34 Va.App. 323, 328, 541 S.E.2d 307, 309 (2001). However, this Court subsequently reversed the judgment of the Court of Appeals and reinstated the abduction conviction. Commonwealth v. Jerman, 263 Va. 88, 94, 556 S.E.2d 754, 758 (2002). Jerman then filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus pursuant to this Court's original jurisdiction. See Code § 17.1-310; Rule 5:7. By order dated October 8, 2003, this Court placed on its privileged docket the following claims raised in the petition: Claim (2)(C), in which petitioner alleges that he was denied effective assistance of counsel when counsel failed to raise at trial or on direct appeal (1) that the evidence was constitutionally insufficient to convict petitioner of abduction; and (2) that petitioner was denied his rights to due process, to a fair trial, and to be free from double jeopardy when the conviction for abduction was based on the restraint inherent from the underlying assault. Claim (2)(D), in which petitioner alleges that he was denied effective assistance of counsel when counsel failed to present a jury instruction that the restraint inherent in the assault/murder cannot serve as the sole basis for a separate abduction conviction. [1]