State v. Tucker, Unpublished Decision (1-13-2005)
State v. Tucker, Unpublished Decision (1-13-2005)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 2} The following facts give rise to this appeal. In August 2001, after a second jury trial,1 Tucker was found guilty of aggravated robbery in violation of R.C.
{¶ 3} Tucker's conviction and sentence were affirmed inState v. Tucker, Cuyahoga App. No. 80221, 2002-Ohio-4902, and the Supreme Court of Ohio declined jurisdiction in State v.Tucker,
{¶ 4} Tucker filed a petition for postconviction relief on July 30, 2002. The state filed a brief in opposition on August 19, 2002. On August 30, 2002 the trial court dismissed said petition without issuing findings of fact and conclusions of law. On March 18, 2004, Tucker filed a motion for findings of fact and conclusions of law, and the court issued said findings on April 2, 2004.
{¶ 5} Tucker appeals this decision of the trial court and advances one assignment of error for our review.
{¶ 6} "I. The trial court erred when it dismissed Mr. Tucker's postconviction petition without a hearing because Mr. Tucker stated substantive grounds for relief that were not contradicted by the record. (August 30, 2002 Entry Dismissing Petition; April 2, 2004 Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law)."
{¶ 7} Specifically, Tucker argues that his petition contended that he was deprived of his right to the effective assistance of counsel because his trial counsel did not submit a notice of alibi until the day that his second trial was set to begin. Tucker argues that he alleged substantive grounds for relief and, therefore, a hearing was warranted.
{¶ 8} When a person files a petition for postconviction relief pursuant to R.C.
{¶ 9} Here, the trial court found that Tucker in his first trial did not testify consistent with the affidavits submitted for his alibi defense. Further, the trial court found that Tucker knew the two individuals whose testimony would provide an alibi and could have timely brought their names and whereabouts to the defense counsel's attention so they could be interviewed in time for the first trial or used as alibi witnesses after a timely notice of alibi was filed. The trial court stated: "No evidence or convincing explanation was offered to explain why they were not called as witnesses in or interviewed in advance of the first trial."
{¶ 10} "[T]he legislature intended for the trial court to weigh issues of credibility without granting a hearing." Statev. Moore (1994),
{¶ 11} Furthermore, there are several other reasons why a court may refuse to grant a hearing when a petition for postconviction relief is filed. See State v. Combs (1994),
{¶ 12} A petition for postconviction relief that alleges that the petitioner received ineffective assistance of counsel at trial is subject to dismissal on res judicata grounds where the petitioner had new counsel on direct appeal and where the ineffective assistance of counsel claim could otherwise have been raised on direct appeal without resort to evidence outside the record. State v. Lentz (1994),
{¶ 13} In the case at bar, we find that Tucker had new counsel on appeal and could have raised the issue of ineffective assistance of counsel, as it pertains to the issue of filing a late notice of alibi, on direct appeal.3 Further, we find that the issue could have been fairly determined without resort to evidence outside the record and thus his petition for postconviction relief would also be barred by the doctrine of res judicata.
{¶ 14} Tucker's sole assignment of error is overruled.
Judgment affirmed.
It is ordered that appellee recover from appellant costs herein taxed.
The court finds there were reasonable grounds for this appeal.
It is ordered that a special mandate issue out of this court directing the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court to carry this judgment into execution. The defendant's conviction having been affirmed, any bail pending appeal is terminated. Case remanded to the trial court for execution of sentence.
A certified copy of this entry shall constitute the mandate pursuant to Rule 27 of the Rules of Appellate Procedure.
Calabrese, Jr., J., and Sweeney, J.*, concur.
*Sitting by assignment: Judge James D. Sweeney, Retired, of the Eighth District Court of Appeals.
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