Opinion ID: 2100111
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 27

Heading: Use of Prior Conviction to Enhance Sentence

Text: Benzel asserts various challenges to a prior conviction which was used to enhance his sentence in the present case and argues that trial counsel did not effectively challenge use of the prior conviction in the sentence enhancement proceeding. The district court noted that because the record established that Benzel was represented by counsel at the time of the prior conviction, the conviction was not subject to challenge in the sentence enhancement proceeding. The court further noted that trial counsel had attempted unsuccessfully to challenge use of the prior conviction at the enhancement proceeding and had unsuccessfully raised the issue in the direct appeal. [8] A motion for postconviction relief cannot be used to secure review of issues which were or could have been litigated on direct appeal. State v. Perry, 268 Neb. 179, 681 N.W.2d 729 (2004). Issues regarding the use of prior convictions were previously litigated and decided in favor of the State in Benzel's direct appeal wherein we stated that any objections to the validity of prior convictions, other than effective assistance of counsel or waiver thereof, should have been raised in the direct appeal of such prior convictions. See State v. Benzel, 220 Neb. 466, 370 N.W.2d 501 (1985), overruled on other grounds, State v. Kuehn, 258 Neb. 558, 604 N.W.2d 420 (2000). In the present appeal, Benzel makes various arguments regarding the validity of a prior conviction, including an argument regarding the constitutionality of the statute which formed the basis of his prior conviction. To the extent that Benzel's arguments in this proceeding are the same as those he presented in his direct appeal, the present postconviction action cannot be used to secure an additional review of the same issues. See Perry, supra . To the extent Benzel's arguments raise new issues regarding the validity of his prior conviction, our statement in the direct appeal, that objections to the validity of prior convictions are to be raised in the direct appeal of such prior convictions, applies equally to such new arguments. See Benzel, supra . Therefore Benzel could not properly have used such arguments to challenge his prior conviction in the sentence enhancement proceeding and because such challenges would have been inappropriate, counsel was not ineffective for any failure to raise such challenges. The district court in this postconviction action did not err in rejecting Benzel's claims regarding use of the prior conviction to enhance his sentence and counsel's purported failure to challenge such use.