State v. Turner, 06 Ca 83 (5-15-2007)
State v. Turner, 06 Ca 83 (5-15-2007)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 2} On May 31, 2006, appellant filed a motion for postconviction relief, claiming ineffective assistance of counsel. Appellant alleged his trial counsel "demonstrated an actual conflict of interest" by failing to contact and subpoena witnesses for the defense. On June 2, 2006, appellant filed amendments to his postconviction motion, arguing speedy trial rights. By judgment entry filed July 5, 2006, the trial court denied the motion.
{¶ 3} On July 21, 2006, this court affirmed appellant's convictions, but reversed the sentence in light of State v. Foster,
{¶ 4} Appellant filed an appeal and this matter is now before this court for consideration. Assignment of error is as follows: *Page 3
{¶ 7} Petitions for postconviction relief are governed by R.C.
{¶ 8} "Except as otherwise provided in section
{¶ 9} R.C.
{¶ 10} "(A) Whether a hearing is or is not held on a petition filed pursuant to section
{¶ 11} "(1) Both of the following apply:
{¶ 12} "(a) Either the petitioner shows that the petitioner was unavoidably prevented from discovery of the facts upon which the petitioner must rely to present the claim for relief, or, subsequent to the period prescribed in division (A)(2) of section
{¶ 13} "(b) The petitioner shows by clear and convincing evidence that, but for constitutional error at trial, no reasonable factfinder would have found the petitioner guilty of the offense of which the petitioner was convicted or, if the claim challenges a sentence of death that, but for constitutional error at the sentencing hearing, no reasonable factfinder would have found the petitioner eligible for the death sentence.
{¶ 14} "(2) The petitioner was convicted of a felony, the petitioner is an inmate for whom DNA testing was performed * * * and the results of the DNA testing establish, by clear and convincing evidence, actual innocence of that felony offense * * *."
{¶ 15} In this case, appellant filed his petition for postconviction relief one day late. See, State's Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings, Fourth Defense, filed June 6, 2006. Pursuant to R.C.
{¶ l61 As cited supra, subsection (A)(1) has two parts, and appellant must meet both of them. In his petition for postconviction relief, appellant argues his trial counsel *Page 5
was ineffective for failing to contact and subpoena witnesses for the defense and failing to object to speedy trial violations. All of the information as to these two claims was available to appellant during the course of his trial. Appellant has not demonstrated that he was unavoidably prevented from discovering the facts on his two claims or that subsequent to the period prescribed in R.C.
{¶ 17} Additionally, appellant's claims are barred by the doctrine of res judicata because appellant could have raised both of them on direct appeal. Pursuant to the doctrine, a defendant cannot raise an issue in a motion for postconviction relief if he or she could have raised the issue on direct appeal. State v. Dulling (1970),
{¶ 18} Upon review, we find the trial court did not err in denying appellant's petition for postconviction relief.
{¶ 19} The sole assignment of error is denied. *Page 6
{¶ 20} The judgment of the Court of Common Pleas of Licking County, Ohio is hereby affirmed.
By Farmer, J. Gwin, P.J. and Edwards, J. concur.
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