Opinion ID: 2210585
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: on appeal from the denial of post-conviction relief

Text: SELBY, J. In 1985, Appellant Reynaldo C. Rondon was convicted of murder [1] and felony murder [2] and was sentenced to death. On direct appeal, we affirmed the felony murder conviction [3] and, over the dissents of two justices, the death sentence. Rondon v. State, 534 N.E.2d 719 (Ind.1989). Pursuant to Indiana Post-Conviction Rule 1(1), Rondon filed a Verified Petition for Post-Conviction Relief in June, 1990. He filed a Second Amended Petition in February, 1995. Post-conviction relief was denied after an evidentiary hearing. Rondon appeals this negative post-conviction judgment pursuant to Indiana Post-Conviction Rule 1(7). Rondon raises several issues on appeal which we consolidate and restate as follows: whether the mental retardation exemption [4] from the death penalty applies in this case; whether Rondon received ineffective assistance of trial and appellate counsel; whether Rondon was denied a fair post-conviction forum; and whether the cumulation of alleged errors warrants relief. We conclude that Rondon received ineffective assistance of trial counsel at the penalty phase. We reverse Rondon's death sentence and remand for a new penalty phase and sentencing hearing.