Opinion ID: 1920175
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Failure to Allege Error Concerning the Denial of the Motion to Suppress

Text: At trial Johnson filed a motion to suppress his confession. He argued that his confession was not voluntary. The motion to suppress was denied by the trial court, and the denial was affirmed on direct appeal by this Court. Johnson now argues that his appellate counsel was ineffective for failing to raise on direct appeal the argument asserted above in his 3.850 motion: that the giving of an oath compels a defendant to confess. Johnson cites Bram v. United States, 168 U.S. 532, 544-50, 18 S.Ct. 183, 42 L.Ed. 568 (1897), for this proposition. This claim is without merit. Appellate counsel cannot be deemed ineffective for failing to raise an issue that is without merit. Kokal, 718 So.2d at 143.