Court Opinion

ID: 9852110
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 05:24:38.269504+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:22:22.679265
License: Public Domain

ZASTROW, Justice
(dissenting).
I agree with Justice Morgan’s dissent and would find the introduction of the handgun to be reversible error.
However, because the majority upholds the conviction, I feel that I must comment cn the other issues raised by the defendant. I agree with Justice Porter’s concurring opinion that the issues of the confidential informant, unrelated criminal offenses and the handcuffed witness were not properly preserved by defendant’s trial counsel. I would further agree with Justice Porter’s position that the issue of ineffective assistance of counsel would best be litigated at a post-conviction hearing. Although the issue has been raised in this appeal, a factual hearing with testimony from the defendant’s trial counsel is the only realistic method of determining the issue fairly for the defendant and his trial counsel. Since a motion for a new trial was not made on this issue, a post-conviction hearing appears to be the only effective manner of determining the facts.