State v. Roberto Vargas Rodriguez, 2006 WI App 163, PFR filed 8/28/06 For Rodriguez: Donna L. Hintze, SPD, Madison Appellate Issue/Holding: ¶39 Questions that call for a narrative are generally improper because they do not alert court and counsel to the subject about which the witness is about to testify. There are exceptions, however, and whether… Read more
1. Deficient performance
State v. Juan F. Milanes, 2006 WI App 259, PFR filed 12/7/06 Milanes: Joan M. Boyd Issue/Holding: Counsel’s failure to litigate a (Miranda) suppression motion was not deficient where the issue turned purely on a credibility dispute between defendant and the detective and pursuit of the motion would have required rejecting a favorable offer, ¶¶15-16… Read more
State v. Eric D. Cooks, 2006 WI App 262 For Cooks: Joseph E. Redding Issue/Holding: ¶50 Cooks, as the trial court found, provided Barth with the names of alibi witnesses and Barth had Cooks testify to his alibi. However, Barth failed to investigate the potential alibi witnesses and argue Cooks’ alibi to the jury. Barth… Read more
State v. Juan F. Milanes, 2006 WI App 259, PFR filed 12/7/06 For Milanes: Joan M. Boyd Issue/Holding: Failure to pursue an NGI defense wasn’t deficient: ¶19 … The evidence in support of Milanes’ claim is remarkably weak; the strongest piece of evidence is the report of his psychiatric expert, which contains a conclusory statement that Milanes… Read more
State ex rel. Richard A. Ford (II) v. Holm, 2006 WI App 176, PFR filed 9/11/06; on appeal following remand in 2004 WI App 22 (“Ford I”) For Ford: James R. Troupis For Amicus: Joseph N. Ehmann, SPD, Madison Appellate Issue/Holding: A client who has strategically foregone a potentially meritorious postconviction challenge is not entitled… Read more
State v. Jeannie M.P., 2005 WI App 183 For Jeannie M.P.: Michael Yovovich, Eileen Hirsch, SPD, Madison Appellate Issue/Holding: Where counsel knew, or should have known, of evidence establishing possible motives for each of the two crucial State’s witnesses; and where adducing evidence of those motives would have been consistent with the chosen theory of defense… Read more
State v. John R. Maloney, 2005 WI 74, affirming 2004 WI App 141, but nonetheless retaining jurisdiction pending resolution of other issues For Maloney: Lew A. Wasserman Issue/Holding: Failure to move to suppress evidence based on asserted violation of SCR 20:4.2 does not support deficient performance, given that applicability of this Rule was not settled: ¶23 The split of authorities described… Read more
State v. Joseph J. Guerard, 2004 WI 85, reversing unpublished decision of court of appeals For Guerard: Joseph L. Sommers Issue/Holding: Failure to interview or subpoena an investigator to whom the defendant’s brother had confessed was deficient performance; the basis for this failure, that counsel “thought the confessions were hearsay and that York’s reports were the work product of… Read more
