Opinion ID: 2975405
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Ohio court rulings

Text: Hartman did not present his ineffective-assistance claim on direct appeal. He fully presented the claim to the state trial court, however, during his postconviction proceedings. The trial court determined that res judicata barred the claim because Hartman had failed to raise it on direct appeal and “there was no proffer of evidence outside the record.” To the contrary, our review of the record indicates that Hartman’s claim of ineffective assistance of counsel was based primarily on a forensic psychology report that was, in fact, outside the record. As explained above, however, Hartman failed to timely appeal the state trial court’s ruling. The Ohio Court of Appeals therefore sua sponte dismissed his appeal. Hartman also raised a portion of his ineffective-assistance-of-counsel claim in his motion to reopen his direct appeal. In that motion, Hartman asserted that he had received ineffective assistance based on his counsel’s allegedly inadequate presentation of mitigation evidence as well Nos. 04-4138/4185/4243 Hartman v. Bagley Page 8 as several other grounds not relevant to the present appeal. As to his mitigation-evidence claim, however, Hartman’s motion asserted ineffectiveness only in relation to his counsel’s alleged failure to adequately present evidence of his alcoholism. The Ohio Supreme Court entered a summary order denying Hartman’s motion to reopen without explanation.