Opinion ID: 1655471
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: whether wansley is entitled to relief based on a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel.

Text: ¶ 17. In his supplemental pro se brief, Wansley claims that his trial counsel was ineffective, resulting in his failure to receive a fair trial. Wansley asserts the following as grounds supporting his claim of ineffective assistance of counsel: 1) counsel failed to communicate with him concerning his case; 2) counsel failed to subpoena witnesses for his defense; 3) counsel was unprepared for trial; 4) counsel failed to seek a continuance in order to familiarize himself with Wansley's case; 5) counsel failed to file a motion for a suppression hearing as requested; 6) counsel failed to object to the seating of a jury whom had previously heard three civil cases; 7) counsel failed to allow Wansley to review discovery materials; 8) counsel failed to inform the court that Wansley had been denied the opportunity to obtain private counsel; and 9) counsel failed to subpoena transcripts from the trial court, with the results that by the time Wansley purchased his own copy, they had been tampered with. ¶ 18. Ineffective assistance of counsel is analyzed under the two-prong test of Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 687, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984): a defendant must show (1) specific acts or omissions on the part of trial counsel indicating deficient performance, and (2) the deficient performance resulted in prejudice to the defendant. Gilley v. State, 748 So.2d 123, 129 (Miss.1999). To overcome this presumption, `[t]he defendant must show that there is a reasonable probability that, but for counsel's unprofessional errors, the result of the proceeding would have been different.' Id. ¶ 19. Other than making bare allegations of how his counsel was ineffective, Wansley fails to identify specific acts or omissions by his trial counsel that in any way prejudiced his defense. Notwithstanding Wansley's deficient claim, a thorough review of the record convinces this Court that Wansley's trial counsel more than adequately represented Wansley. The record reflects that trial counsel was factually and legally prepared to defend Wansley, and cross-examined the State's witnesses on all pertinent issues. Given the presumption that counsel is effective, and Wansley's failure to rebut this presumption with an tangible showing that, but for his trial counsel's unprofessional errors, the outcome of his trial would have been different, Wansley's claim of ineffective assistance of counsel is denied as lacking merit.