On Point blog, page 37 of 71
Court rejects argument that waiver of counsel was involuntary because it was not “free from financial constraint”
State v. Gregory Garro, 2013AP342-CR, District 1, 12/27/13; court of appeals decision (not recommended for publication); case activity
Garro waived the right to counsel before trial after two retained lawyers withdrew because he couldn’t pay them. (3). Garro told the court he couldn’t afford the fees quoted by the lawyers, but did have some money to hire counsel. (4). After being given time to look for a lawyer he could afford,
Use of counsel in prior cases defeats defendant’s claim that he didn’t knowingly waive his right to counsel in later case
State v. Scott J. Stelzer, 2013AP1555-CR, District 2, 12/27/13 (1-judge decision; ineligible for publication), case activity
After being convicted of his 3rd OWI offense, Stelzer moved to exclude his 2nd OWI (which occurred in 1996) from the calculation of his prior convictions on the grounds that he was not represented by counsel when he pled guilty to it. Nor did he knowingly, intelligently and voluntarily waived his right to counsel at that time.
Trial counsel was not ineffective for failing to argue officers in resisting arrest case acted without lawful authority
State v. Andrew K. Valiquette, 2013AP909-CR, District 4, 12/19/13; court of appeals decision (1-judge; ineligible for publication); case activity
Valiquette, convicted of resisting arrest, argues the police lacked lawful authority when they moved to pat him down for weapons, and asserts trial counsel’s failure to pursue that defense was based on a misunderstanding of the applicable law. The court of appeals disagrees, concluding instead that trial counsel’s testimony indicates she made a strategic decision to focus on the issue of whether Valiquette resisted instead of whether the police were acting with lawful authority.
State v. Jimothy A. Jenkins, 2012AP46-CR, petition for review granted 12/17/13
Review of unpublished per curiam court of appeals decision; case activity
Issue (composed by On Point)
In deciding whether trial counsel was ineffective for failing to call a witness, did the postconviction court err by deciding trial counsel’s failure to present the witness was not prejudicial because the witness was not credible?
Unlike electronically filed briefs in criminal cases, petitions for review are not available on the court’s website.
State v. William Bokenyi, 2012AP2557-CR, petition for review granted
Review of an unpublished, per curiam court of appeals decision; case activity; State’s petition for review
Issues (from the State’s petition):
Underfunded public defender system violates Sixth Amendment right to counsel
How many misdemeanor cases is too many for one public defender to take in one year? Is it okay to advise a client to take a fantastic plea bargain without having a confidential conversation with him first? What about skipping the investigation of a client’s story? In Wilbur v. City of Mount Vernon, Case No. C11-1100RSL (12/4/13) the Western District of Washington slammed the “meet and plead” public defense systems in place in the cities of Mount Vernon and Burlington.
Trial counsel was not ineffective for failing to object to testimony about recorded conversations in Spanish between the defendant and the victim
State v. Adamis Figueroa, 2013AP47-CR, District 1, 12/3/13; court of appeals decision (not recommended for publication); case activity
Trial counsel was not ineffective for failing to object to the testimony of a police department employee about the content of two recorded conversations in Spanish between Figueroa and J.R., who alleged Figueroa had sexually assaulted her several years ago, when she was a child. (During one conversation J.R. wore a wire and spoke with Figueroa in person;
Erroneous admission of other acts evidence was harmless; letter written by attorney to victim at defendant’s behest was properly admitted
State v. Jeffrey A. Adamczak, 2013 WI App 150; case activity
Admission of other acts evidence
Adamczak was charged with sexual exploitation by a therapist in violation of Wis. Stat. § 940.22 for having sexual contact with Sabrina. He testified the contact occurred, but only after the patient-therapist relationship was over. (¶¶3, 5). Before trial the state moved to admit the testimony of Sarah and Gail,
Failure to impeach witness with mental health condition. Failure to request WIs. J.I.-Criminal 245 on accomplice testimony. Interrogation — Miranda custody; interrogator’s comments on truthfulness
State v. Deandre J. Bernard, 2012AP750-CR, District 4, 10/17/13; court of appeals decision (not recommended for publication); case activity
Trial counsel’s failure to impeach witness with mental health condition was not prejudicial
Trial counsel was not ineffective for failing to impeach the credibility of a witness who testified that Bernard told her “I think I killed a boy.” Bernard argued the witness suffers from a mental condition that affects her perceptions and recollections and that trial counsel should have requested access to the witness’s mental health records and used the records to impeach her.
Court of appeals rejects defense challenge to shaken baby syndrome; finds old wine in new container
State v. Michael L. Cramer, 2012AP2547; District 1; October 15, 2013 (not recommended for publication); case activity
A jury convicted Cramer of 1st-degree reckless homicide for the death of his 10-week old son. Both the Milwaukee County medical examiner and the attending physician testified for the State at trial. In their opinions, the baby died from blunt force injuries, including trauma to the head and brain. The defendant’s expert testified that the baby’s injuries were caused by “resuscitated Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.”