Opinion ID: 2595325
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: Prejudice to Jefferson

Text: ¶ 52 Next, we must determine whether Jefferson was prejudiced by counsel's conduct. Jefferson contends that he was prejudiced because he was ultimately convicted of attempted deliberate homicide when he could have pled guilty to a lesser offense and received a shorter sentence. ¶ 53 The second prong of the Strickland test requires that Jefferson demonstrate the existence of a reasonable probability that, but for counsel's unprofessional conduct, the result of the proceedings would have been different. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 694, 104 S.Ct. at 2068. The prejudice inquiry focuses on whether counsel's deficient performance renders the trial result unreliable or the proceeding fundamentally unfair. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 696, 104 S.Ct. at 2069. The ultimate inquiry is concerned with the fundamental fairness of the proceeding. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 696, 104 S.Ct. at 2069. ¶ 54 We note that Sixth Amendment criminal proceedings begin with a formal charge, a preliminary hearing, the filing of an information, an indictment, or an arraignment. State v. Schoffner (1991), 248 Mont. 260, 265, 811 P.2d 548, 552; see also Rosebud County v. Flinn (1940), 109 Mont. 537, 98 P.2d 330. To determine whether Jefferson was prejudiced, we must consider the circumstances of the entire proceeding: Jefferson's withdrawal from the plea agreement for felony assault; counsel's admission of guilt in spite of that withdrawal; the evidence at trial; and his final conviction for attempted deliberate homicide. The circumstances in this case present a unique issue. Rather than contemplating the final result absent counsel's conduct, the facts of this case require that we consider how the result of this case affected Jefferson's right to deny guilt to any offense and to have the benefit of the bargain in the event he admitted guilt to a lesser offense. ¶ 55 In this case, Jefferson withdrew a plea to felony assault for the opportunity to prove he was not guilty, or was guilty of a less serious offense. He had the right to do so. However, his counsel precluded him from making a case for a lesser offense when he initiated the trial with an admission of guilt to felony assault. Consequently, he was denied both his right to deny guilt and the benefit of his previous agreement to admit guilt. He was left with the worst of both options. ¶ 56 There would have been no reason for Jefferson to withdraw from the plea agreement for felony assault if he had been aware that his counsel would concede his guilt to that charge at trial. Instead, he was convicted of the more serious charge of attempted deliberate homicide. The fact that the evidence at trial may have supported a conviction regardless of the statement is irrelevant. Jefferson would not have gone to trial at all if he had been aware that his counsel would admit he was guilty of felony assault and highlight evidence of that offense at trial. ¶ 57 We conclude that Jefferson was prejudiced by his counsel's conduct and that his counsel's conduct rendered the criminal proceeding in Jefferson's case fundamentally unfair. We conclude that Jefferson has satisfied the second prong of the Strickland test. Consequently, we conclude that Jefferson is entitled to a new trial. ¶ 58 Our resolution of the second issue in this case is dispositive. Therefore, it is unnecessary to reach the third and fourth issues on appeal. Jefferson's conviction in the District Court is vacated and we remand this case to the District Court for a new trial. We Concur: JIM REGNIER, PATRICIA COTTER, JAMES C. NELSON, and W. WILLIAM LEAPHART, JJ.