Opinion ID: 780959
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Ineffective Assistance of Counsel and Due Process

Text: 39 Torrence also claims that his right to effective assistance of counsel was violated because in deciding to take the case to trial rather than plead guilty, he relied upon his counsel's incorrect calculations of the guideline range that would apply at sentencing after a conviction at trial. However, claims of ineffective assistance of counsel ordinarily are not cognizable on direct appeal. United States v. Mustafa, 238 F.3d 485, 497 (3d Cir.2001); United States v. Tobin, 155 F.3d 636, 643 (3d Cir.1998). Rather, the proper mechanism for challenging the efficacy of counsel is through a motion pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2255. As the government points out, the record in this case is inadequate for us to address the issue of ineffective assistance of counsel for, even if we accept as true all of Torrence's factual assertions, the record does not establish what, if any, prejudice Torrence suffered by reason of the incorrect calculation of his anticipated guideline range. For example, for all we know Torrence might have gone to trial regardless of the calculations supplied. See United States v. Sandini, 888 F.2d 300, 312 (3d Cir.1989) ([C]laims predicated upon attorney's error do require a showing of prejudice and therefore may involve facts not adequately developed in the record.) (emphasis in original). 40 Torrence's last argument is that he detrimentally relied upon the government's erroneous statements during plea discussions before trial of what the applicable guideline range would be. Citing Santobello v. New York, 404 U.S. 257, 92 S.Ct. 495, 30 L.Ed.2d 427 (1971), and Virgin Islands v. Scotland, 614 F.2d 360 (3d Cir.1980), he contends that the government should have been estopped based on these statements from asserting that his base offense level was higher than 26 and that we should vacate his sentence and require the trial court to accept as binding a base offense level of 26. The record indicates that the parties' counsel had a pretrial discussion concerning the applicable guideline range, and that they underestimated the base offense level that would apply after trial. However, in contrast to the situation in Santobello and Scotland, the government never made any formal plea offer to Torrence. In these circumstances there is no support for Torrence's argument that the government should have been estopped from asserting that he was subject to a base offense level higher than 26.