State v. Robert L. Tatum, Case No. 2011AP2439-CR, District 1, 1/29/13; court of appeals decision (not recommended for publication); case activity Denial of right to self-representation – competence to represent oneself The circuit court properly denied Tatum the right to represent himself based on his limited education and understanding of legal procedures, as evidenced by… Read more
8. Counsel, 6th Am.
Questions Presented: This case presents three questions involving· AEDPA (the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996), and Lafler v. Cooper, 132 S. Ct. 1376 (2012), this Court’s recent decision expanding ineffective-assistance-of-counsel claims to include rejected plea offers: 1. Whether the Sixth Circuit failed to give appropriate deference to a Michigan state court under… Read more
State v. Willie M. McDougle, 2013 WI App 43; case activity Failure to object to admission of, and expert opinion based on, autopsy reports prepared by another pathologist Trial counsel was not ineffective for failing to object on confrontation clause grounds to either the opinion testimony of the pathologist who did not conduct autopsy or… Read more
Conflict of interest – dual representation of defendant and a defense witness facing perjury charges
State v. Jesus C. Villarreal, 2013 WI App 33; case activity Trial counsel was ineffective because he had an actual conflict of interest arising from his dual representation of both Villareal and a defense witness who had testified at Villarreal’s first trial (which ended in a hung jury ) and who, before the second trial… Read more
State v. Jeremiah J. Purtell, 2012AP1307-CR, District 2, 3/7/13 (not recommended for publication); petition for review granted 11/20/13. Case activity. This case concerns a probation agent’s search of the defendant’s computers. Following a conviction for 2 counts of animal cruelty, a court placed the defendant on probation and imposed a condition that he not own… Read more
Martin Woolley v. Rednour, 7th Cir No. 10-3550, 12/14/12 seventh circuit decision Habeas Review – Issue Left Unaddressed by State Court Where, on state (Illinois) postconviction review of an IAC claim, the trial court ruled that counsel’s performance had been deficient but not prejudicial, and the state appellate court affirmed solely on the basis of… Read more
State v. Robert Edwin Burkhardt, 2009AP2174-CR, District 1/4, 12/6/12 court of appeals decision (not recommended for publication); case activity Search & Seizure – Consent Consent to search isn’t vitiated by nonpretextual threat to obtain a search warrant: ¶16 … (I)t is well established that, “[t]hreatening to obtain a search warrant does not vitiate consent if ‘the… Read more
State v. Dennis C. Strong, Jr., 2012AP1204-CR, District 3, 11/30/12 court of appeals decision (1-judge, ineligible for publication); case activity The trial court undertook an appropriate colloquy with Strong before allowing him to waive counsel and represent himself, leading to guilty pleas. The court thus rejects his claim that his pleas were premised on a… Read more
