Opinion ID: 1103987
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Counsel's Qualifications.

Text: ¶ 14. Bell alleges that trial counsel was too inexperienced to try a capital case. Bell contends counsel's failure to satisfy the qualifications provide by M.R.A.P 22(d) creates a presumption of prejudice. [1] ¶ 15. M.R.A.P. 22(d) sets forth the qualifications for attorneys representing petitioners in post-conviction matters and was adopted well after Bell's trial and direct appeal. See In Re: Mississippi Rules of Appellate Procedure-Rule 22, 735 So.2d XXIII (Miss.1999). Bell asks the Court to impose this heightened standard to trial counsel. This standard has never been imposed outside of its intended setting. This argument is without support and contradicts the presumption under Sixth Amendment jurisprudence. ¶ 16. Inexperience does not as a matter of law make counsel ineffective. Wiley v. State, 517 So.2d 1373, 1382 (Miss. 1987); see also United States v. Lewis, 786 F.2d 1278, 1281 (5th Cir.1986). The Court disagrees that trial counsel, Leland H. Jones, III, was too inexperienced and notes that prior to Bell's direct appeal, trial counsel had appeared before the Court several times, including two appeals involving murder convictions. See Holly v. State, 671 So.2d 32 (Miss.1996); Taylor v. State, 597 So.2d 192 (Miss.1992). ¶ 17. Bell emphasizes that trial counsel was working three death penalty cases simultaneously and claims that even the most experienced death penalty counsel would have been unable to properly defend him. See Smith v. State, 724 So.2d 280 (Miss.1998); Holly, 671 So.2d 32. Bell cites as proof trial counsel's request for continuance and an affidavit provided by post-conviction counsel Thomas C. Levidiotis, who attests that counsel could not simultaneously maintain such a workload and provide effective assistance. ¶ 18. The petition fails to show specific instances where counsel's performance suffered as a result of his workload. Absent specific instances of error, defendant's allegations that trial counsel was inexperienced, carried unduly heavy caseload and had severely limited resources, are insufficient to support a claim for ineffective assistance of counsel. Cabello v. State, 524 So.2d 313, 316 (Miss.1988). This issue is without merit.