Failure to raise arguments that require the resolution of unsettled legal questions generally does not render a lawyer's services “outside the wide range of professionally competent assistance” sufficient to satisfy the 6th amendment. State v. Lemberger,
2017 WI 39,
374 Wis. 2d 617,
893 N.W.2d 232,
15-1452.
The standard to use in forfeiture of trial counsel cases established under
Cummings,
199 Wis. 2d 721, is upheld. There are two situations when a defendant loses the right to counsel: 1) a defendant may knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily waive the right to counsel; and 2) a defendant may forfeit the right to counsel. The triggering event for forfeiture is when the court becomes convinced that the orderly and efficient progression of the case is being frustrated. State v. Suriano,
2017 WI 42,
374 Wis. 2d 683,
893 N.W.2d 543,
15-0959.
Scenarios triggering forfeiture of the right to trial counsel include: 1) a defendant's manipulative and disruptive behavior; 2) withdrawal of multiple attorneys based on a defendant's consistent refusal to cooperate with any of them and constant complaints about the attorneys' performance; 3) a defendant whose attitude is defiant and whose choices repeatedly result in delay, interfering with the process of justice; and 4) physical or verbal abuse directed at counsel or the court. State v. Suriano,
2017 WI 42,
374 Wis. 2d 683,
893 N.W.2d 543,
15-0959.
The contention that a defendant cannot forfeit the right to counsel unless the defendant's actions were done with an intent or purpose to delay is rejected. Contrary language in
State v. Coleman,
2002 WI App 100, and any other case requiring proof of intentional, purposeful delay is overruled. State v. Suriano,
2017 WI 42,
374 Wis. 2d 683,
893 N.W.2d 543,
15-0959.
Shata, 2015 WI 74, and
Ortiz-Mondragon, 2015 WI 73, stand for the proposition that, where the law is not “succinct, clear, and explicit,” counsel is not deficient by accurately warning a client of the “risk of adverse immigration consequences.” Defendant's counsel had no constitutional duty to give specific, direct advice on how pleading guilty would affect the defendant's possibilities for readmission beyond the accurate, generalized warnings that were given. State v. Villegas,
2018 WI App 9,
380 Wis. 2d 246,
908 N.W.2d 198,
15-2162.
Circuit courts reviewing claims of ineffective assistance of counsel following multiple-count trials may conclude that deficient performance prejudiced only one of the multiple convictions.
Strickland,
466 U.S. 668, clearly contemplates such a result and does not require reversal on all counts when the prejudice proven affected only a single count. State v. Sholar,
2018 WI 53,
381 Wis. 2d 560,
912 N.W.2d 89,
16-0897.
The
Strickland,
466 U.S. 668, prejudice test is distinct from a sufficiency of the evidence test. A defendant need not prove the outcome would more likely than not be different in order to establish prejudice in ineffective assistance cases. The defendant must prove there is a reasonable probability the jury would have acquitted him or her absent the error. State v. Sholar,
2018 WI 53,
381 Wis. 2d 560,
912 N.W.2d 89,
16-0897.
Counsel must either reasonably investigate the law and facts or make a reasonable strategic decision that makes any further investigation unnecessary. The court reviews the reasonableness of trial counsel's decisions not with the benefit of hindsight, but in the context of the circumstances as they existed at the time counsel made the decisions. The court must consider the law and the facts as they existed when trial counsel's conduct occurred. State v. Pico,
2018 WI 66,
382 Wis. 2d 273,
914 N.W.2d 95,
15-1799.
A preliminary hearing to determine probable cause for detention pending further proceedings is not a “critical stage" in a prosecution requiring appointed counsel. Gerstein v. Pugh,
420 U.S. 103,
95 S. Ct. 854,
43 L. Ed. 2d 54 (1975).
When the defendant's right to counsel was violated by a corporeal identification conducted in court without counsel, the prosecution could not introduce identification evidence even though the identification had an independent source. Moore v. Illinois,
434 U.S. 220,
98 S. Ct. 458,
54 L. Ed. 2d 424 (1977).
The right to counsel was not violated when a permissible jury instruction, intended for the defendant's benefit, was given over defense counsel's objections. Lakeside v. Oregon,
435 U.S. 333,
98 S. Ct. 1091,
55 L. Ed. 2d 319 (1978).
An indigent defendant is not entitled to appointed counsel when charged with an offense for which imprisonment is authorized but not imposed. Scott v. Illinois,
440 U.S. 367,
99 S. Ct. 1158,
59 L. Ed. 2d 383 (1979).
In order to demonstrate a violation of the right to counsel, the defendant must establish that an actual conflict of interest adversely affected the counsel's performance. Cuyler v. Sullivan,
446 U.S. 335,
100 S. Ct. 1708,
64 L. Ed. 2d 333 (1980).
The government violated the defendant's right to counsel by placing a paid informant in the same cell who deliberately elicited incriminating statements. United States v. Henry,
447 U.S. 264,
100 S. Ct. 2183,
65 L. Ed. 2d 115 (1980).
Since a criminal defendant has no constitutional right to counsel to pursue a discretionary state appeal, the defendant could not be deprived of effective counsel by counsel's failure to timely file an application for certiorari. Wainwright v. Torna,
455 U.S. 586,
102 S. Ct. 1300,
71 L. Ed. 2d 475 (1982).
Without surrounding circumstances making it unlikely that the defendant received effective assistance of counsel, a claim of ineffective assistance must be supported by demonstrating specific errors made by trial counsel. U.S. v. Cronic,
466 U.S. 648,
104 S. Ct. 2039,
80 L. Ed. 2d 657 (1984).
To support a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, the defendant must show a probability, sufficient to undermine confidence in the outcome, that but for counsel's unprofessional errors, the result of the proceeding would have been different. Strickland v. Washington,
466 U.S. 668,
104 S. Ct. 2052,
80 L. Ed. 2d 674 (1984).
Indigent inmates held in administrative segregation during the investigation of a prison murder were not entitled to counsel prior to the initiation of adversary judicial proceedings against them. U.S. v. Gouveia,
467 U.S. 180,
104 S. Ct. 2292,
81 L. Ed. 2d 146 (1984).
An accused's postrequest responses to further interrogation may not be used to cast retrospective doubt on the clarity of an initial request for counsel. Smith v. Illinois,
469 U.S. 91,
105 S. Ct. 490,
83 L. Ed. 2d 488 (1984).
The right to assistance of counsel wasn't violated when an attorney refused to cooperate with the defendant in presenting perjured testimony at trial. Nix v. Whiteside,
475 U.S. 157 (1986).
Because an individual has no underlying constitutional right to appointed counsel in state collateral postconviction proceedings, the individual may not insist upon implementation of
Anders,
386 U.S. 738, procedures. Pennsylvania v. Finley,
481 U.S. 551,
107 S. Ct. 1990,
95 L. Ed. 2d 539 (1987).
Though the trial court must recognize the presumption that a defendant is entitled to his or her counsel of choice, the presumption is overcome by actual conflict and a serious potential for actual conflict. Wheat v. United States,
486 U.S. 153,
108 S. Ct. 1692,
100 L. Ed. 2d 140 (1988).
The right to counsel was not violated by the court's instruction to the defendant that he not confer with his attorney during a 15 minute recess between the defendant's direct and cross-examination. Perry v. Leeke,
488 U.S. 272,
109 S. Ct. 594,
102 L. Ed. 2d 624 (1989).
The sixth amendment right to counsel is offense specific. An accused's invocation of this right during a judicial proceeding did not constitute an invocation of the right to counsel under
Miranda arising from the 5th amendment guarantees against self incrimination in regard to police questioning concerning a separate offense. McNeil v. Wisconsin,
501 U.S. 171,
111 S. Ct. 2204,
115 L. Ed. 2d 158 (1991).
An uncounseled misdemeanor conviction, valid because no prison term was imposed, is also valid when used to enhance punishment upon a subsequent conviction. Nichols v. U.S.,
511 U.S. 738,
114 S. Ct. 1921,
128 L. Ed. 2d 745 (1994).
To void a conviction due to a 6th amendment violation when a trial court has failed to inquire into a potential conflict of interest that the court knew or should have known of, the defendant must establish that the conflict adversely affected counsel's performance. Failure of the trial court to inquire into the conflict did not reduce the defendant's burden of proof. Mickens v. Taylor,
535 U.S. 162,
152 L. Ed. 2d 291 (2002).
The 6th amendment right to counsel of choice commands, not that a trial be fair, but that a particular guarantee of fairness be provided, to wit, that the accused be defended by the counsel he or she believes to be best. When that right is violated because the deprivation of counsel is erroneous, no additional showing of prejudice is required to make the violation complete, and the violation is not subject to harmless-error analysis. United States v. Gonzalez-Lopez,
548 U.S. 140,
122 S. Ct. 1237,
165 L. Ed. 2d 409,
126 S. Ct. 2557 (2006).
The U.S. Constitution does not forbid a state to insist that the defendant proceed to trial with counsel when the state court found the defendant mentally competent to stand trial if represented by counsel but not mentally competent to conduct that trial himself. Indiana v. Edwards,
554 U.S. 164,
128 S. Ct. 2379,
171 L. Ed. 2d 345 (2008).
The right to counsel applies at the first appearance before a judicial officer at which a defendant is told of the formal accusation against him or her and restrictions are imposed on his or her liberty. Attachment of the right does not require that a public prosecutor as distinct from a police officer be aware of that initial proceeding or involved in its conduct. Rothgery v. Gillespie County,
554 U.S. 191,
128 S. Ct. 2578,
171 L. Ed. 2d 366 (2008).
Michigan v. Jackson,
475 U.S. 625, which provided that if police initiate interrogation after the defendant's assertion of the right to counsel, any waiver of the defendant's right to counsel for that police-initiated interrogation is invalid, is overruled. Courts are not required to presume that such a waiver is invalid under those circumstances. Montejo v. Louisiana,
556 U.S. 778,
129 S. Ct. 2079,
173 L. Ed. 2d 955 (2009).
A defendant's incriminating statement to a jailhouse informant, concededly elicited in violation of the 6th amendment right to counsel, was admissible at trial to impeach the defendant's conflicting statement. Kansas v. Ventris
556 U.S. 586,
129 S. Ct. 1841,
172 L. Ed. 2d 454 (2009).
Counsel has an obligation to advise a defendant that a guilty plea will result in the defendant's deportation from this country. Advice regarding deportation is not categorically removed from the ambit of the 6th amendment right to counsel. When the deportation consequence is truly clear, the duty to give correct advice is equally clear. Padilla v. Kentucky,
559 U.S. 356,
130 S. Ct. 1473,
176 L. Ed. 2d 284 (2010).
As a general rule, defense counsel has the duty to communicate formal offers from the prosecution to accept a plea on terms and conditions that may be favorable to the accused. When defense counsel allowed an offer to expire without advising the defendant or allowing him to consider it, defense counsel did not render the effective assistance the constitution requires. Missouri v. Frye,
566 U.S. 134,
132 S. Ct. 1399,
182 L. Ed. 2d 379 (2012).
When ineffective advice led to rejection ofa plea offer and caused the defendant to stand trial, rather than to waive the right to trial, a defendant must show that but for the ineffective advice of counsel there is a reasonable probability that the plea offer would have been presented to the court, that the court would have accepted its terms, and that the conviction or sentence, or both, under the offer's terms would have been less severe than under the judgment and sentence that were imposed. Lafler v. Cooper,
566 U.S. 156,
132 S. Ct. 1376,
182 L. Ed. 2d 398 (2012).
When a defendant claims that his or her counsel's deficient performance deprived him or her of a trial by causing him or her to accept a plea, the defendant can show prejudice by demonstrating a reasonable probability that, but for counsel's errors, he or she would not have pleaded guilty and would have insisted on going to trial. The court rejected a per se rule that a defendant with no viable defense cannot show prejudice from the denial of the right to trial. The decision whether to plead guilty involves assessing the respective consequences of a conviction after trial and by plea. But for his attorney's incompetence, the defendant would have known that accepting the plea agreement in this case would certainly have led to deportation while going to trial would “
almost certainly” have done so. If deportation were the determinative issue for an individual in plea discussions, and if the consequences of taking a chance at trial were not markedly harsher than pleading, that “almost” could make all the difference. Jae Lee v. United States, 582 U.S. ___,
137 S. Ct. 1958,
198 L. Ed. 2d 476 (2017).
A violation of the right to a public trial is a structural error. In the case of a structural error when there is an objection at trial and the issue is raised on direct appeal, the defendant generally is entitled to automatic reversal regardless of the error's actual effect on the outcome. When a defendant raises a public-trial violation via an ineffective-assistance-of-counsel claim,
Strickland, 466 U.S. 668, prejudice is not shown automatically. Instead, the burden is on the defendant to show either a reasonable probability of a different outcome in his or her case or to show that the particular public-trial violation was so serious as to render the trial fundamentally unfair. Weaver v. Massachusetts, 582 U.S. ___,
137 S. Ct. 1899,
198 L. Ed. 2d 42 (2017).
When postconviction counsel failed to assert a claim of ineffective assistance of trial counsel in a postconviction motion under s. 974.02, the defendant's opportunity to argue that claim on direct appeal was foreclosed. The appropriate forum for asserting ineffective assistance of postconviction counsel for failure to raise ineffective assistance of trial counsel was in a collateral motion under s. 974.06. Page v. Frank,
343 F.3d 901 (2003).
Right to counsel; repayment of cost of court-appointed counsel as a condition of probation. 56 MLR 551.
McNeil v. Wisconsin: Blurring a Bright Line on Custodial Interrogation. 1992 WLR 1643.
How do You Get a Lawyer Around Here? The Ambiguous Invocation of a Defendant's Right to Counsel under Miranda v. Arizona? 79 MLR 1041 (1997).
JURY TRIAL AND JUROR QUALIFICATIONS
NOTE: See also the notes to s. 906.06 for decisions relating to overturning verdicts due to juror misconduct.
Contradictory testimony of different state witnesses does not necessarily cancel the testimony and render it unfit as a basis for a conviction. The determination of credibility and the weight to be accorded the testimony is a jury function, and the jury may accept or reject the inconsistent testimony, even under the beyond a reasonable doubt burden of proof. Embry v. State,
46 Wis. 2d 151,
174 N.W.2d 521.
A resident of Menominee county may properly be tried by a jury drawn from the Shawano-Menominee district. Article IV, sec. 23, is not violated by using district-based jury lists. Pamanet v. State,
49 Wis. 2d 501,
182 N.W.2d 459.
When 2 alternate jurors in a murder trial made remarks critical of court procedures and the defense attorney, but were removed prior to the time the case was submitted to the jury, a showing of probable prejudice was required for a mistrial to be ordered. Shelton v. State,
50 Wis. 2d 43,
183 N.W.2d 87.
Asking an improper question that is not answered is not grounds for reversal, especially when the trial court instructs the jury to disregard the question and to draw no inferences therefrom. The instruction is presumed to efface any possible prejudice resulting from asking the question. Taylor v. State,
52 Wis. 2d 453,
190 N.W.2d 208.
The trial court did not err in failing to declare a mistrial because of a statement made by the prosecutor in closing argument, challenged as improper because the prosecutor expressed his opinion as to defendant's guilt, where it neither could be said that the statement was based on sources of information outside the record, nor expressed the prosecutor's conviction as to what the evidence established. State v. McGee,
52 Wis. 2d 736,
190 N.W.2d 893.
When the prosecutor stated in opening remarks that the defendant refused to be fingerprinted but failed to introduce testimony to this effect, the error was cured by proper instructions. State v. Tew,
54 Wis. 2d 361,
195 N.W.2d 615.
The exclusion of young persons, students, and teachers from a jury list is discussed. If a challenge establishes discrimination, the jury list is invalid and the defendant need not show prejudice. Brown v. State,
58 Wis. 2d 158,
205 N.W.2d 566.
Rules for proving discrimination in compiling a jury list and the burden of proof are discussed. Wilson v. State,
59 Wis. 2d 269,
208 N.W.2d 134.
Jurors are not necessarily prejudiced by reason of having sat as jurors at the same term on similar cases when the state's witnesses were the same, but it is better not to use the same jurors. State v. Boutch,
60 Wis. 2d 397,
210 N.W.2d 751.
The absence of persons of the defendant's race on the jury panel is not ipso facto evidence of prejudice. Jones v. State,
66 Wis. 2d 105,
223 N.W.2d 889.
A defendant, having been found competent to stand trial, must necessarily have possessed the intellectual capacity to waive the right to a jury trial. Norwood v. State,
74 Wis. 2d 343,
246 N.W.2d 801.
A jury must unanimously find participation in a crime, but the jury need not unanimously agree whether defendant: 1) directly committed crime; 2) aided and abetted its commission; or 3) conspired with another to commit it. Holland v. State,
91 Wis. 2d 134,
280 N.W.2d 288 (1979).
Excusing Native Americans from a jury without individual examination denied the Native American defendant a trial by an impartial jury. State v. Chosa,
108 Wis. 2d 392,
321 N.W.2d 280 (1982).
The verdict was unanimous in a battery case even though the jury was not required to specify whether the battery occurred when the defendant threw an object at the victim or during an ensuing fistfight. State v. Giwosky,
109 Wis. 2d 446,
326 N.W.2d 232 (1982).
The verdict was unanimous in a rape case even though the jury was not required to specify whether the sexual assault was vaginal or oral. State v. Lomagro,
113 Wis. 2d 582,
335 N.W.2d 583 (1983).
When the accused refused to participate in the trial, the court erred by failing to inform the accused of the right to be present at trial, to waive that right, and to reclaim it at any time. State v. Haynes,
118 Wis. 2d 21,
345 N.W.2d 892 (Ct. App. 1984).
A waiver of the right to a jury trial is effective if the defendant understands the basic purpose and function of a jury trial. Trial courts are prospectively ordered to advise defendants of the unanimity requirement before accepting a waiver. State v. Resio,
148 Wis. 2d 687,
436 N.W.2d 603 (1989).
A defendant has the right to a jury determination on each element of a charged offense. The right can be waived only by the defendant personally on the record. State v. Villarreal,
153 Wis. 2d 323,
450 N.W.2d 519 (Ct. App. 1989).
Once the defendant makes a prima facie showing that the prosecutor used peremptory challenges in a purposefully discriminatory manner, the burden shifts to the prosecution to provide a neutral explanation for challenging the jurors.
Batson v. Kentucky,
476 U.S. 79 (1986) is discussed. State v. Walker,
154 Wis. 2d 158,
453 N.W.2d 127 (1990).
Waiver of a jury trial must be made by affirmative action of the defendant. Neither counsel nor the court may waive it on the defendant's behalf. If the defendant has not personally waived the right, the proper remedy is a new trial, not a postconviction hearing. State v. Livingston,
159 Wis. 2d 561,
464 N.W.2d 839 (1991).
Under rare circumstances, a jury instruction creating a conclusive presumption regarding an element of a crime may be harmless error. State v. Kuntz,
160 Wis. 2d 722,
467 N.W.2d 531 (1991).
Kinship to a person who has been criminally charged or convicted may constitute a legitimate racially-neutral reason for striking a member of the jury panel. State v. Davidson,
166 Wis. 2d 35,
479 N.W.2d 181 (Ct. App. 1991).
Unanimity requirements where multiple occurrences of multiple acts are charged are discussed. State v. Marcum,
166 Wis. 2d 908,
480 N.W.2d 545 (Ct. App. 1992).
Prospective jurors related to a state witness by blood or marriage to the third degree must be struck from the jury panel. State v. Gesch,
167 Wis. 2d 660,
482 N.W.2d 99 (1992). But for a review of this case to apply new terminology regarding juror bias see
State v. Faucher,
227 Wis. 2d 700,
596 N.W.2d 770 (1999),
97-2702.
A defendant cannot show jury prejudice unless the exhaustion of peremptory challenges left a jury that included an objectionable or incompetent member. State v. Traylor,
170 Wis. 2d 393,
489 N.W.2d 626 (Ct. App. 1992).
When the jury is sworn during the trial but prior to deliberations, a mistrial is not warranted in the absence of prejudice. State v. Block,
170 Wis. 2d 676,
489 N.W.2d 715 (Ct. App. 1992).
A defendant has the right to have jurors individually polled on their verdict. Reassembling and polling the jury 51 days after the verdict was rendered was harmless error. State v. Coulthard,
171 Wis. 2d 573,
492 N.W.2d 329 (Ct. App. 1992).
When the jury is presented with evidence of more than one crime, the verdict must be unanimous as to each crime. To sustain a conviction when alternative methods of proof resting upon different evidentiary facts are presented to the jury, the evidence must be sufficient to convict beyond a reasonable doubt upon both of the alternative modes of proof. State v. Chambers,
173 Wis. 2d 237,
496 N.W.2d 191 (Ct. App. 1992).
The “clearly erroneous" standard applies to all steps under the
Batson, 476 U.S. 79, analysis made by a trial court in determining whether a peremptory challenge was discriminatory. State v. Lopez,
173 Wis. 2d 724,
496 N.W.2d 617 (Ct. App. 1992).
The verdict of a 13 member jury panel agreed to by the defense and prosecution was not invalid. State v. Ledger,
175 Wis. 2d 116,
499 N.W.2d 199 (Ct. App. 1993).
A trial court's comments to a deliberating jury without the presence of the defendant and his or her counsel violated the constitutional right to be present at trial. The trial court should not inquire of a deliberating jury the numerical division of the jury. State v. McMahon,
186 Wis. 2d 68,
519 N.W.2d 621 (Ct. App. 1994).
A criminal defendant may not be tried by a juror who cannot comprehend testimony. Once it is determined that a juror has missed testimony that bears on guilt or innocence prejudice must be assumed. State v. Turner,
186 Wis. 2d 277,
521 N.W.2d 148 (Ct. App. 1994).
When polling the jury showed a unanimous verdict, no constitutional error occurred due to a failure to instruct the jury that a unanimous verdict was required. State v. Kircherz,
189 Wis. 2d 392,
525 N.W.2d 788 (Ct. App. 1994).
Whether a defendant is required to be shackled at trial should be determined based on the particular risk of violence or escape. Where the shackles cannot be viewed by the jury no prejudicial harm may occur. State v. Grinder,
190 Wis. 2d 541,
527 N.W.2d 326 (1995).