Opinion ID: 1920952
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 15

Heading: Motion to Withdraw Counsel Natale

Text: Doorbal contends that appellate counsel was ineffective because counsel failed to challenge the denial of numerous motions to withdraw filed by counsel Natale in light of the personal difficulties he experienced during his representation of Doorbal. However, Doorbal fails to provide any record reference with regard to counsel Natale allegedly requesting permission to withdraw. A review of the record of the trial court proceedings does not indicate that counsel Natale filed numerous motions to withdraw. Instead, the record reveals that Natale moved to withdraw early in the proceedings. Natale had initially been retained as private counsel to defend Doorbal in the Schiller counts, and Natale was paid a specified fee. After the Griga/Furton counts were added, and Doorbal's case became a first-degree double murder case, Natale asked to withdraw based on the fact that he wasn't contracted to handle this matter based on the fee that he had been paid. Further, the trial court initially concluded that Doorbal was not indigent and would have to retain his own attorney. During a subsequent hearing, however, the State stipulated that Doorbal was indigent, and the trial court appointed counsel Natale to represent him. When the prosecutor mentioned that Natale had a pending motion to withdraw, Natale replied, Everything's withdrawn. Appellate counsel cannot be ineffective for failing to raise an abandoned motion on appeal. See Teffeteller v. Dugger, 734 So.2d 1009, 1028 (Fla.1999). Counsel Natale abandoned his request to withdraw from his representation of Doorbal, and, therefore, we conclude that appellate counsel was not ineffective when this claim was not raised during the direct appeal.