Opinion ID: 1654062
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 15

Heading: Counsel failed to explain a plea bargain offered to Davis.

Text: ¶ 37. One of the affidavits attached to Davis's Application for Leave to File Motion is from Dale Harkey, the District Attorney who prosecuted Davis. Harkey's affidavit states: Prior to the trial [of cause no. 3065] thereof, I tendered to the Defendant, Jeffrey K. Davis, a plea offer whereby in exchange for a plea of guilty to Murder and Armed Robbery, the State of Mississippi would recommend a sentence of Life imprisonment for Murder, and ten (10) or (20) years imprisonment, consecutive, for Armed Robbery. This offer was not reduced to writing, but communicated to the attorney of record for Jeffrey K. Davis. ¶ 38. Two affidavits of George Shaddock are attached. In Affidavit K Shaddock states: In that case [cause no. 3065], Jeffrey K. Davis was not offered a plea bargain by the State of Mississippi prior to his conviction. The only way these two affidavits can be reconciled is if Davis had some other attorney of record at some time in this case besides Shaddock, or if Harkey imparted something to Shaddock which Harkey felt was a plea offer and which Shaddock felt was not. ¶ 39. To confuse matters further, Jeffrey Davis offers the following in his affidavit: I believe I was offered a plea bargain of two twenty year terms before trial, but my attorney never explained any details good enough for me to fully consider it. I would have taken this plea bargain if it had been fully explained to me. I would also have considered any other plea bargains offered by the State if they were fully explained to me. Mr. Shaddock never took any appreciable time to discuss anything about plea bargains with me. ¶ 40. An attorney who is offered a plea agreement in a capital murder case, and does not convey that offer to his client, the defendant, so as to allow the defendant to consider the agreement in making his decision to face trial, meets the requirements of deficient conduct and prejudice within the meaning of Strickland v. Washington where the defendant is convicted and sentenced to death. See Nelson v. State, 626 So.2d 121, 127 (Miss.1993). We are not saying that, based on these affidavits, George Shaddock was ineffective. The affidavits engender more confusion than anything else, but Davis is entitled to an evidentiary hearing in the trial court on this issue of whether there was a plea agreement conveyed to any counsel of record for Davis, and if so, whether the offer was in turn conveyed by counsel to Davis.