Opinion ID: 2571629
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: issues

Text: [¶ 4] Before listing the issues that will be discussed in this opinion, we find it appropriate to explain how those issues have arisen. Issues raised in the first appeal included sufficiency of the evidence, evidentiary rulings, ineffective assistance of counsel, prosecutorial misconduct, a photographic lineup, and alleged trial court error during voir dire. Robinson, 11 P.3d at 365. Those issues, all of which concerned the jury trial, are settled and gone. The present appeal is taken from the trial court's denial of the appellant's new trial motion, which motion raised only the issue of newly discovered evidence. In developing that issue, however, appellate counsel obtained the remand to the trial court for an evidentiary hearing to determine whether prior counsel was ineffective in regard to that motion and hearing. During the evidentiary hearing, and in later briefing, the appellant raised as a particular question whether prior counsel was ineffective for having failed to raise a Brady issue. [3] [¶ 5] Perhaps due to this somewhat complex procedural history, the parties do not exactly agree as to what issues are before this Court. Surprisingly, inasmuch as this appeal is actually from the trial court's denial of the new trial motion, the appellant does not specifically list that as an issue. Instead, the appellant lists two issues: (1) the alleged ineffective assistance of counsel in regard to the new trial motion; and (2) whether the State violated Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83, 83 S.Ct. 1194, 10 L.Ed.2d 215 (1963). The State lists all three issues, and adds in its briefing that the Brady issue, not having been raised in the new trial motion, should not be heard. [¶ 6] From the arguments made during the hearing on the motion for a new trial, from the arguments made during the evidentiary hearing on remand, and from the briefs, we discern the following issues that require resolution: 1. Whether the trial court abused its discretion in concluding that the appellant received effective assistance of counsel in regard to the motion for a new trial? 2. Whether the trial court abused its discretion in denying the motion for a new trial?