Opinion ID: 853928
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Eyewitness Identification Expert, Mental Health Examination, and Jury Instructions

Text: While we have addressed each of these issues collaterally in the context of Coleman's ineffective assistance of counsel claims, Coleman seeks review for each of these issues independently on their merits. (Appellant's Br. at 124-33, 133-39, 141-44.) Normally, the post-conviction relief process is only open to the raising of issues not known at the time of the original trial and appeal or somehow not available to the appellant at that time. Howey v. State, 557 N.E.2d 1326 (Ind.1990); Tope v. State, 477 N.E.2d 873 (Ind.1985). For an issue to be available for post-conviction relief, the issue must either be unavailable at direct appeal or be framed within the context of the post-conviction rules. Tope, 477 N.E.2d at 875. Otherwise, an issue shall be deemed waived. In order to avoid the waiver of his claims regarding an expert on eyewitness identification, mental health examinations, and jury instructions, Coleman alleges that the errors on these points were fundamental, and so denied him due process of law in violation of his constitutional rights. (Appellant's Br. at 132, 133, 142.) In doing so, Coleman hopes to bring these issues under the rubric of the post-conviction rules. P-C.R. 1(1)(a)(1). As we said of our fundamental error exception to the waiver rule in Canaan v. State, 683 N.E.2d 227, 236 (Ind.1997), it permits direct review of only the most blatant denials of elementary due process. Our review of these claims reveals nothing of a fundamental nature.