Opinion ID: 2353062
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Summary of the Proceedings

Text: An eight-count indictment filed on February 3, 1998, charged appellant with three counts of first degree child sexual abuse, three counts of second degree child sexual abuse, and one count each of carnal knowledge and taking indecent liberties with a minor child. The alleged victim of these offenses, which occurred between January 1994 and November 1997, was appellant's younger half-sister. The case was tried in July 1998, and the jury found appellant guilty on all counts. The trial court sentenced him to imprisonment for 33 years to life. Appellant noted an appeal. In March 2002, while his direct appeal was still pending, appellant moved pursuant to D.C.Code § 23-110 (2001) to set aside his conviction on grounds of ineffective assistance of counsel. After holding an evidentiary hearing, the trial court denied the motion. Appellant's appeal from that denial was consolidated with his direct appeal. On July 8, 2004, with one judge dissenting, a division of this Court rejected appellant's claims and affirmed his convictions in Cosio v. United States, 853 A.2d 166 (D.C.2004) ( Cosio I ). Several months later, on February 3, 2005, the full Court granted appellant's petition for rehearing en banc and vacated the judgment of the division. Cosio v. United States, 867 A.2d 967 (D.C.2005). The Court limited its grant of rehearing to the issue of ineffective assistance of trial counsel, requested full briefing, and invited the participation of amicus curiae counsel. Following the April 25, 2005, en banc argument, the Court requested supplemental briefing addressing the applicability of the June 20, 2005 decision of the United States Supreme Court in Rompilla v. Beard, 545 U.S. 374, 125 S.Ct. 2456, 162 L.Ed.2d 360 (2005). The supplemental briefing was completed in August 2005.