Opinion ID: 714016
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Repeated and Prolonged Lapses.

Text: 31 The district court made the following findings: (1) Tirelli slept every day of the trial; (2) he slept during the testimony of Mayone, a critical prosecution witness; and (3) he slept during damaging testimony by co-defendant Stokes. As discussed above, we do not believe that these findings conflict with the state court's statement that it could not determine the amount of Tirelli's sleeping or the specific portions of testimony Tirelli missed. To the extent that a conflict is perceived, we believe the district court's findings were justified on the uncontroverted record, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254(d)(8). Our review of the hearing transcript confirms that Tirelli's sleeping denied Tippins effective assistance of counsel. 32 The evidentiary portion of the trial lasted twelve days. Judge Nelson testified that Tirelli slept every day of the trial. How many times during the day I didn't keep track, but he was asleep at times every day of the trial. Judge Nelson recalled that on one occasion (at least) he halted the trial, took all the lawyers into the hallway and issued a warning to Tirelli: 33 The singular purpose of going into the hallway with four lawyers was to instruct Mr.--to wake Mr. Tirelli up, and to instruct him not to sleep any further, that he should be paying attention. I think Mr. Stokes was testifying at that time. And Mr. Stokes was offering testimony that was detrimental to Mr. Tippins' welfare, let's put it that way. That's probably one of the main reasons I said, now is the time to wake Mr. Tirelli up and go to the hall. 34 Notwithstanding that episode, in which Tirelli slept during the testimony of an important witness, Judge Nelson expressed no doubt ... as far as I'm concerned, ... [Tippins] received a fair trial, that he was effectively represented by Mr. Tirelli. 35 The court reporter, Joanne Luongo, testified that Tirelli was sleeping a lot. Unable to say how many times the lawyer fell asleep, she characterized the number as significant. Asked whether he slept in the course of the testimony of more than five witnesses she responded: 36 A. I would say five might be a good number.Q. Was he sleeping during most of their testimony, some of their testimony, all of their testimony? 37 A. It was significant, but I can't tell you all, some. Some is probably the best answer I can give you. 38 Q. These approximately five witnesses he was sleeping [sic], were they different witnesses? 39 A. Yes. 40 Luongo also said that this sleeping was a continuous thing that happened almost every day. 41 The trial prosecutor, former District Attorney John Edwards--who presumably would be looking elsewhere most of the time--testified that he too saw Tirelli 42 sleeping, or [he] had his eyes closed. I recall ... two instances because Judge Nelson called all of the attorneys outside. I remember one of those. I believe it was [the testimony of] Mr. Stokes. I don't remember the other occasion. I just have a recollection that we were called outside for that purpose. Twice[,] at least twice. 43 One of the jurors, Jeffrey Halpern, recalled that Tirelli would fall asleep quite often during the trial, and that, during the two-day testimony of Mayone (the confidential informant) Tirelli was asleep about 65% of the time. During Stokes' testimony, Halpern recalled that the lawyer slept for [t]he majority of it, including part of each day Stokes was on the stand. 44 Co-defendant Stokes testified that he observed Tirelli sleeping at various times during the trial, including during the testimony of Timothy Duffy, who was the supposed buyer in the drug transaction at issue. He recalled Tirelli sleeping anywhere from five to seven minutes, maybe longer during Duffy's testimony. The other co-defendant, Blackman, observed during the trial, practically during the whole trial [Tirelli] was always sleeping. He sleeps and he nods, he snores. Blackman recalled that Tirelli slept or nodded during the majority of the trial. Doris Tippins, the defendant's mother, attended three or four days of the trial, and she recalled seeing only the testimony of Stokes. She recalled Tirelli sleeping about two or three times. The defendant's girlfriend, Jeanette Johnson, recalled seeing Tirelli sleeping, possibly three or four times, during the three days of Stokes' testimony. Of course, neither Doris Tippins nor Johnson would have had a good vantage for watching Tirelli during the trial. 45