On Point blog, page 373 of 484
Sentencing Review – Factors – TIS – Probation as 1st Alternative
State v. Steven A. Harvey, 2006 WI App 26
For Harvey: Christopher William Rose
Issue/Holding:
¶47 Harvey correctly states Gallion’s teaching that probation should be considered as the first sentencing alternative. Gallion, 270 Wis. 2d 535, ¶25. Here, the trial court expressly addressed probation. … In sum, the court concluded that probation would unduly depreciate the offense. …
¶48 Probation should be the disposition unless confinement is necessary to protect the public,
Sentencing Review – Articulation of Factors – Defendant’s Character
State v. Donald Odom, 2006 WI App 145
For Odom: Eileen Miller Carter; J.C. Moore, SPD, Milwaukee Trial
Issue/Holding: Trial court’s discussion of the three primary sentencing factors was adequate, though the court did not explicitly identify those factors, ¶25.
Sentencing Review – Articulation of Factors by Trial Court
State v. Jeremy D. Russ, 2006 WI App 9
For Russ: Martha K. Askins, SPD, Madison Appellate
Issue/Holding:
¶14 This court observes a strong policy of deferring to the sentencing discretion of a trial court, presuming the sentence to be reasonable unless the defendant can demonstrate from the record that the court acted unreasonably. State v. Mosley, 201 Wis. 2d 36,
Counsel – Conflict of Interest – Waiver of Conflict by Defendant, Generally
State v. Dion W. Demmerly, 2006 WI App 181, PFR filed 9/11/06
For Demmerly: Edward J. Hunt
Issue/Holding: A trial court may, but is not required to, override a defendant’s waiver of the right to conflict-free representation, and in this instance the trial court properly questioned the defendant and ascertained that he was knowingly and voluntarily waiving that right:
¶13 Contrary to Dion’s assertion,
Conflict between (Indisputably) Unambiguous Oral Pronouncement and Written Judgment
State v. Carla L. Oglesby, 2006 WI App 95
For Oglesby: Timothy T. Kay
Issue/Holding:
¶15 … [T]he trial court’s oral pronouncement imposed a two-year term of probation in 2004CM401. Despite this clear and unequivocal statement, the judgment of conviction recited a probation term of six years.
¶16 When an unambiguous oral pronouncement at sentencing conflicts with an equally unambiguous pronouncement in the judgment of conviction,
Conflict between Ambiguous Oral Pronouncement and Written Judgment – Sentencing Court’s Silence on Matter of Consecutive or Concurrent – Determination of Sentencing Court’s Intent, Presumption of Concurrency
State v. Carla L. Oglesby, 2006 WI App 95
For Oglesby: Timothy T. Kay
Issue/Holding: The test for statutory construction – whether the language is capable of being understood by reasonably informed persons in different ways – applies to determination of a sentencing court’s intent; where the parties staked out different sentencing positions but the sentencing court was silent as to whether multiple terms were to be concurrent or consecutive,
Counsel – Conflict of Interest – Waiver of Conflict by Defendant, Amounts to Waiver of Claim of Deficient Performance
State v. Dion W. Demmerly, 2006 WI App 181, PFR filed 9/11/06
For Demmerly: Edward J. Hunt
Issue/Holding:
¶15 Dion contends that he was denied effective assistance of counsel because his counsel’s law firm also represented his co-defendant brother Douglas. … While there is no Wisconsin case law directly on point, the State cites federal cases holding that a defendant cannot assert ineffective assistance of counsel based on a conflict of interest when the defendant validly waived the right to conflict-free representation.
Counsel – Ineffective Assistance – (Cross-)Examination of Witness with Respect to Immunity Grant
State v. Dion W. Demmerly, 2006 WI App 181, PFR filed 9/11/06
For Demmerly: Edward J. Hunt
Issue/Holding: Counsel’s cross-examination of state’s witness testifying under a grant of immunity was adequate where it revealed that the witness’s motivation for testifying was a desire to receive leniency on his pending charges, ¶22; and, also where any confusion about the grant of immunity was clarified by the trial court’s accurate admonition to the jury on the matter,
Counsel – Ineffective Assistance – Examination of Witness – Open-Ended Question
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 to permit a question calling for a narrative response is within the trial court’s discretion under Wis.
Counsel – Ineffective Assistance – Deficient Performance: Failure to Litigate Suppression Motion in Preference to Accepting Plea Offer
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.