ÿWPC—* …U:V % 0Ü–w@r 4² Æ Õ 0 Ý 0Dý 0JA 0T‹ 0^ß 0h= 0r¥ 0| 0†“ 0 1u© 0dU *‚ B¬B)ÉDCò AM5¶‚:8ãr¢U7÷v~.!vÓ¬" D3( 0@²( AOò(ÆA) 0D* D/K* Bz*, øð AZ‹"Arial RegularX(´`$¡¡Ñ°ÑÒ°ÒÑTR[  AØ'ÿ Legal3Ø' AØ'ÿ Legalÿ3Ø'TÑÑ7€‰GXXdðXXdð7ÑÑ  Ñ <E=>E?@EABECD eEÓ€·‚^!3|xP(Ð(3 ™$¤¤Ý ƒ`!ÝѰÑÒ°ÒÑTR[¤ AØ'ÿ Legal3Ø' AØ'ÿ Legalÿ3Ø'TÑÑ7€ ÓXXdædæ7ÑÑ  ÑÝ  Ýà ` àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô  ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Arial d% Line 7 d 7Border 1dd€-!Cþÿ << Gÿÿ ¬Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ ! ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ#€d#ÑÑ  ÑÝ  ÝÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€XÔÌÌò òNo…vemberÏ27,Ï1996ÌÌCecilÏCrowson,ÏJr.ÌÔ€ôÔAp…pellateÏCourtÏClerkó ó 0Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ#€d#ÑÑ  ÑÝ  ÝÔ€ôÔÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ7À ÓXXdædæ7Ñà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóOn€September€4,€1990,€the€victim€in€this€case,€Bobby€Wilson,€was€shot€to€death€near€theÏcorner€of€Sixteenth€Street€and€Market€Street€in€Hamilton€County.€€The€facts€developed€at€trialÏreveal€that€the€victim€and€the€appellant€were€involved€with€the€same€woman.€€On€the€morning€ofÏthe€murder,€the€victim€and€this€woman€were€walking€through€an€alley€to€the€victim's€vehicle€whenÏanother€car€suddenly€approached.€€The€female€was€unable€to€view€the€driver€of€the€vehicle€butÏheard€two€gunshots,€one€which€penetrated€the€back€window€of€the€victim's€car.€€Other€shotsÏfollowed.€€Soon€after€the€gunfire€ended,€the€victim€ran€into€a€nearby€business€and€dropped€a€.44Ïcaliber€pistol€on€the€floor.€€Clutching€his€chest,€the€victim€shouted,€"Call€the€ambulance.€€I've€beenÏshot."€€The€owner€of€the€business€looked€out€onto€the€street.€€He€stated€that€he€saw€two€cars€onÏSixteenth€Street,€one€in€the€middle€of€the€street€with€its€driver„side€door€open€and€the€other€carÏdriving€backward€away€from€the€parked€car.€€At€the€hospital,€the€victim€named€the€appellant€as€theÏperpetrator.€€€The€victim€later€died.€€At€trial,€several€witnesses€testified€that€the€appellant€hadÏpreviously€made€threats€against€the€victim's€life.€€Witnesses€for€the€appellant€testified,€however,Ïthat€the€victim€had€been€the€aggressor€in€his€relationship€with€the€appellant.€€Nonetheless,€theÏproof€clearly€and€overwhelmingly€established€that€the€appellant€fired€the€shot€which€resulted€inÏthe€victim's€death.€€Although€the€indictment€charged€the€appellant€with€first€degree€murder,€basedÏon€the€evidence€at€trial,€the€jury€found€the€appellant€guilty€of€second€degree€murder.Ì ÙÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ#€d#ÑÑ  ÑÝ  ÝÔ€ôÔà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóIn€the€direct€appeal,€the€appellantððs€surname€is€spelled€ð ðCopenny.ðð€€The€appellantÏtestified€that€the€correct€spelling€of€his€name€is€ð ðCopeny.ððÌ ˜Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ#€d#ÑÑ  ÑÝ  ÝÔ€ôÔà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóThe€appellant€was€appointed€co„counsel€because€this€proceeding€was€originally€a€capitalÏcase.Ì -Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ#€d#ÑÑ  ÑÝ  ÝÔ€ôÔà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóThe€òòStricklandóó€standard€has€been€applied€to€the€right€of€counsel€under€Article€I,€SectionÏIX€of€the€Tennessee€Constitution.€€òòState€v.€Melsonóó,€772€S.W.2d€417,€419€n.2€(Tenn.),€òòcert.Ïdeniedóó,€493€U.S.€874,€110€S.Ct.€211€(1989).ÌPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'hStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  inion Geneva ÒÒ  inion Geneva Ò'ÿÿdxd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ#€Xd#ÑÑ#€Xd#ÑÑ  ÑÝ  Ýò òÙ€€ÙÙ€€ÙßR€"#!A1-j|` O `€€@ÿRß›à@ àÞ ÞÌIN€THE€COURT€OF€CRIMINAL€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àAT€KNOXVILLEÌà@ àJULY€SESSION,€1996Ìó óÌÌÌÌò òAMOS€COPENYó ó,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà à)à àNo.€03C01„9601„CR„00001Ìà àAppellantà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà à)à àHAMILTON€COUNTYÌvs.à àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà à)à àHon.€Stephen€M.€Bevil,€JudgeÌò òSTATE€OF€TENNESSEEó ó,à àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà à)à à(Post„Conviction)Ìà àAppelleeà àà àà à)ÌÌÌÌòòFor€the€Appellantóó:à àà àà àà àòòFor€the€Appelleeóó:ÌÌA.€Christian€Lanier,€IIIà àà àà àCharles€W.€BursonÌSuite€150,€615€Lindsay€St.à àà àAttorney€General€and€ReporterÌChattanooga,€TN€€37403à àÌà àà àà àà àà àà àElizabeth€T.€RyanÌà àà àà àà àà àà àAssistant€Attorney€General€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àCriminal€Justice€DivisionÌà àà àà àà àà àà à450€James€Robertson€ParkwayÌà àà àà àà àà àà àNashville,€TN€37243„0493à àà àà àà àÌà àà àà àà àà àà àÌà àà àà àà àà àà àWilliam€H.€Cox€IIIÌà àà àà àà àà àà àDistrict€Attorney€GeneralÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àRebecca€SternÌà àà àà àà àà àà àAsst.€District€Attorney€GeneralÌà àà àà àà àà àà àCourt€Building,€600€Market€St.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àChattanooga,€TN€€37402ÌÌÌÌÌOPINION€FILED:€€òò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌÌAFFIRMEDÌÌÌÌò òDavid€G.€Hayesó óÌJudgeÇÓÓà@ àòòò òOPINIONóóó óÌÌà àThe€appellant,€Amos€Copeny,€appeals€the€Hamilton€County€CriminalÏCourt's€order€denying€his€petition€for€post„conviction€relief.€€In€this€appeal,€theÏappellant€contends€that€his€trial€counsel€was€ineffective€for:€ÌÓÓà8 à(A)€failing€to€meet€with€the€appellant€sufficiently€to€present€anÏeffective€defense;ÌÌà8 à(B)€failing€to€interview€the€witnesses€for€either€the€defense€or€theÏState;ÌÌà8 à(C)€failing€to€carry€out€a€"test€drive"€of€the€appellant's€alleged€routeÏto€determine€whether€the€State's€theory€of€the€case€was€possible;ÌÌà8 à(D)€failing€to€properly€prepare€for€the€trial€of€the€case;€and€ÌÌà8 à(E)€failing€to€adopt€a€strategy€in€defending€the€appellant.ÌÌÓÓÌà àAfter€a€review€of€the€record€and€the€brief€of€both€parties,€we€affirm€theÏorder€of€the€trial€court€denying€post„conviction€relief.ÌÌÌà@ àò òI.€€Backgroundó óÌÌà àOn€June€28,€1991,€a€jury€returned€a€verdict€finding€the€appellant€guilty€ofÍthe€second€degree€murder€of€Bobby€Wilson.× ƒ$ ××  ×€€Subsequently,€the€HamiltonÏCounty€Criminal€Court€sentenced€the€appellant€to€sixty€years€in€the€DepartmentÏof€Correction€as€a€career€offender.€€This€court€affirmed€the€appellant's€convictionÏand€sentence€on€June€25,€1993,€and,€on€October€4,€1993,€the€supreme€courtÏdenied€permission€to€appeal.€€òòSeeóó€€òòState€v.€Copennyóó,€888€S.W.2d€450€(Tenn.ÏCrim.€App.),€òòperm.€to€appeal€deniedóó,€(Tenn.€1993).× ƒ% ××  ×€€The€appellant€filed€a€òòpro€seÏóópetition€for€post„conviction€relief€on€January€15,€1992.€€With€the€assistance€ofÏappointed€counsel,€the€appellant€filed€an€amended€petition€on€July€11,€1995.€ÏOn€August€30,€1995,€the€trial€court€conducted€the€post„conviction€hearing.€ÌÌà àAt€the€hearing,€the€appellant€testified€that,€at€trial,€he€was€represented€byÍKarla€Gothard,€of€the€public€defender's€office,€and€William€Heck.× ƒ& ××  ×€€The€appellantÏstated€that€Heck€and€Gothard€only€met€with€him€"five€or€six€times"€prior€to€trial.€ÏHe€explained€that€"I€just€feel,€you€know,€they€didn't€recommended€[sic]€me€right,Ïthey€didn't€investigate€my€case,€nor€nothing,€right."€€He€suggested€that€trialÏcounsel€should€have€discussed€with€him€"showing€them€pictures€[of€the€victim'sÏcar]€["all€shot€up"]€to€the€jury,"€because€"that€wasn't€no€part€of€the€trial."€ÏHowever,€the€appellant€admitted€that€he€could€not€have€"told€[his]€lawyersÏ[anything]€that€would€have€helped€them€keep€those€pictures€out€of€evidence."€ÏAdditionally,€the€appellant€testified€that€trial€counsel€should€have€investigatedÏ"the€bullet€hole€supposed€to€been€in€[the€victim's]€car."ÌÌà àNext,€the€appellant€alleged€that€counsel€failed€to€interview€witnesses€forÏeither€the€defense€or€the€state.€€Specifically,€the€appellant€stated€that€counselÏfailed€to€interview€Janie€Jones,€his€brother„in„law,€Lovell€Johnson,€€SabrynaÏClemons,€and€"Lisa€„„€I€done€forgot€her€last€name."€€The€appellant€alsoÏcomplained€that€trial€counsel€failed€to€carry€out€a€"test€drive"€of€his€alleged€route.€€ÏHe€explained€that€his€attorneys€should€have€traveled€from€"Main€to€over€thereÏby€the€Westside€cab€stand€where€the€accident€happened€at.€.€.€.€[J]ust€likeÏmaking€the€„„€way€I€went€and€the€way€I€got€blocked€off."€€The€appellant€believesÏthat€by€driving€this€test€route,€he€can€prove€that€he€was€not€at€the€scene€of€theÍaccident.ÌÌà àThe€appellant€asserted€that€his€counsel€"should€have€gathered€upÏenough€evidence€to€defend€the€trial."€€Specifically,€the€appellant€believes€thatÏthey€should€have€come€up€with€evidence€"about€the€gun€fire,€check€the€gun,Ïwho€shot€the€guns,€and€.€.€.€€about€the€gun.€.€.€.€Then€the€gun€had€been€shot€inÏhis€„„€supposed€to€been€in€the€back€of€his€car€„„€had€never€„„€nobody€neverÏchecked€that€out€or€nothing,€and€whether€he€on€drugs€or€whatever.€.€.€."€€He€alsoÏtestified€that€trial€counsel€should€have€investigated€information€regarding€theÏvictim's€reputation€for€violence,€the€victim's€prior€physical€threats€to€him,€and€theÏvictim's€reputation€for€being€in€the€"drug€business."€€The€appellant€stated€that€hisÏdefense€theory€was€that€of€self„defense,€because€"[the€victim]€had€a€.44ÏMagnum€and€[the€appellant]€had€a€.38."€€Finally,€he€conceded€that€he€did€notÏtestify€at€trial€because€of€his€prior€record.€€ÌÌà àWilliam€Heck€testified€that€he€has€been€practicing€law€for€twenty„fourÏyears,€that€85€percent€of€his€practice€is€criminal,€and€that€he€has€tried€deathÏpenalty€cases€in€the€past.€€Regarding€his€representation€of€the€appellant,€HeckÏstated€that€the€appellant€never€complained€that€his€case€was€not€receivingÏenough€attention€by€trial€counsel€nor€did€he€indicate€that€he€was€not€happy€withÏtheir€representation€of€him.€€Heck€also€explained€that€he€"had€complete€accessÏto€the€District€Attorney's€file.€€[I]n€fact,€I€was€given€the€file€outright€when€.€.€.€theÍcase€first€developed.€€I€was€allowed€to€read€but€not€copy€the€statements€ofÏwitnesses€for€the€[S]tate€that€I€was€not€entitled€to€receive€legally€until€after€thatÏwitness€had€actually€testified€at€trial."€€Additionally,€he€asserted€that€"[he]€talkedÏto€all€of€the€[S]tate's€witnesses."€€Heck€stated€that€he€"drove€[the€route€that€theÏappellant€allegedly€traveled€the€day€of€the€shooting]€from€the€point€where€[theÏappellant]€left€his€parole€officer's€office€on€McCallie€Avenue€and€tried€to€followÏwhat€he's€told€me.€€And€then€I€went€down€.€.€.€to€the€scene.€€I€was€at€the€scene€onÏa€couple€of€occasions,€and€in€fact€had€even€done€some€measuring€down€thereÏand€taken€some€Polaroid€photographs€to€see€if€it€was€consistent€with€what€I€wasÏbeing€told."€€He€also€confirmed€that€the€defense€strategy€for€the€case€was€self„defense.ÌÌà àThe€final€witness€was€Karla€Gothard.€€She€stated€that€she€was€employedÏby€the€Public€Defender's€Office€and€was€assigned€to€the€appellant's€case.€€SheÏadmitted€that€this€was€her€first€death€penalty€case€and€that€Mr.€Heck€wasÏappointed€lead€counsel,€although€she€was€appointed€first.€€Gothard€concededÏthat€she€was€"somewhat€frustrated€at€times€because€[she€and€Heck]€couldn't€getÏtogether€.€.€.€as€frequently€as€we€wanted€to."€€However,€she€testified€that€sheÏ"met€with€the€defendant€as€many€times€as€I€could."€€She€added€that€members€ofÏher€staff€investigated€the€offense€thoroughly,€and€that€she,€Heck,€and€theÏdefendant€agreed€that€it€would€be€in€his€best€interest€not€to€testify,€given€hisÏextensive€criminal€record.€€Additionally,€Gothard€stated€that€she€was€aware€ofÍthe€appellant's€limited€abilities€to€read€and€write,€accordingly,€GothardÏconfirmed€that€she€translated€from€legalese€to€something€"more€easilyÏunderstandable."€€Regarding€the€"test€drive,"€€she€stated€that€she€neverÏunderstood€the€purpose€of€the€drive€since€the€appellant's€strategy€was€self„defense.€€Hence,€€there€was€no€purpose€in€trying€to€show€that€the€appellantÏcould€not€have€been€at€the€scene€of€the€shooting€at€that€particular€time.ÌÌà àIn€denying€the€appellant's€petition,€the€trial€court€remarked€that€both€Mr.ÏHeck€and€Ms.€Gothard€were€very€thorough€and€very€competent€attorneys.€€InÏrejecting€the€appellant's€argument€of€deficient€performance,€the€trial€court€foundÏthat€the€appellant's€counsel€interviewed€the€appellant€on€numerous€occasions,Ïvisited€the€crime€scene€on€numerous€occasions,€and€conducted€a€thorough€pre„trial€investigation.€€The€court€further€acknowledged€that€the€only€defenseÏavailable€to€the€appellant€was€that€of€self„defense€and€that€trial€counsel€didÏeverything€they€could€in€getting€that€defense€before€the€jury.€€The€trial€courtÏconcluded€that€"the€defendant€has€failed€to€carry€the€burden€of€showing€thatÏcounsel€rendered€ineffective€assistance€of€counsel."ÌÌÌà@ àò òII.€€Analysisó óÌÌà àIn€determining€whether€the€appellant€received€effective€assistance€ofÍcounsel€as€guaranteed€by€the€Sixth€Amendment€of€the€United€StatesÏConstitution€and€Art.€I,€Sec.€IX€of€the€Tennessee€Constitution,€this€court€mustÏlook€to€whether€the€performance€of€trial€counsel€was€within€the€range€ofÏcompetence€demanded€of€attorneys€in€criminal€cases.€€òòBaxter€v.€Roseóó,€523ÏS.W.2d€930,€936€(Tenn.€1975).€€To€reverse€a€conviction€on€these€grounds,€theÏappellant€must€show,€by€a€preponderance€of€the€evidence,€òòTaylor€v.€Stateóó,€875ÏS.W.2d€684,€686€(Tenn.€Crim.€App.€1993),€òòperm.€to€appeal€deniedóó,€(Tenn.Ï1994),€that€counsel's€representation€was€deficient€and€that€there€was€prejudiceÏresulting€from€that€deficiency.× ƒ' ××  ×€€òòStrickland€v.€Washingtonóó,€466€U.S.€668,€686,Ï104€S.Ct.€2052.€2064€(1984).€€Unless€the€appellate€court€finds€that€the€evidenceÏpreponderates€against€the€factual€findings€of€the€trial€court,€the€findings€of€theÏtrial€court€are€conclusive€on€appeal.€€òòButler€v.€Stateóó,€789€S.W.2d€898,€899Ï(Tenn.€1990).€€ÌÌà àCounsel's€representation€is€deficient€if€the€errors€were€so€serious€as€toÏdeprive€the€appellant€of€representation€guaranteed€by€the€Sixth€Amendment.€ÏòòCox€v.€Stateóó,€880€S.W.2d€713,€717€(Tenn.€Crim.€App.€1994).€€The€deficientÏrepresentation€becomes€prejudicial€when€the€appellant€is€deprived€of€a€fair€trialÏwith€a€reliable€result.€€òòIdóó.€€However,€this€court's€review€may€first€look€at€theÍprejudice€prong€of€òòStricklandóó.€€If€the€court€finds€that€the€defendant€suffered€noÏprejudice,€a€deficiency,€if€any,€is€considered€harmless.€€òòStricklandóó,€466€U.S.€atÏ693,€104€S.Ct.€at€2067.€€Therefore,€even€if€there€are€attorney€errors,€theÏappellant€must€show€that€"there€is€a€reasonable€probability€that,€but€forÏcounsel's€unprofessional€errors,€the€result€of€the€proceeding€would€have€beenÏdifferent"€in€order€to€succeed€on€an€ineffectiveness€claim.€€òòStricklandóó,€466€U.S.Ïat€693,€104€S.Ct.€at€2068.ÌÌà@ àò òA.€€Counsel's€Failure€to€Meet€Sufficiently€with€Appellantó óÌà àThe€appellant€alleges€that€trial€counsel€were€prevented€from€presentingÏan€effective€defense€due€to€their€failure€to€consult€with€him€prior€to€trial.€€TheÏappellant€testified€that€trial€counsel€met€with€him€five€or€six€times€prior€to€trial.€ÏMr.€Heck€testified€that€he€believed€there€was€a€good€relationship€betweenÏcounsel€and€appellant.€€Ms.€Gothard€stated€that€the€appellant€had€manyÏopportunities€to€convey€any€dissatisfication€with€their€representation€of€his€case.€ÏMoreover,€the€appellant€conceded€that€he€did€not€know€how€often€trial€counselÏshould€have€met€with€him€in€order€to€present€an€effective€defense.€€This€issue€isÏwithout€merit.€€ÌÌÌà@ àò òB.€€Counsel's€Failure€to€Interview€Witnessesó óÌà àNext,€the€appellant€avers€that€his€attorneys€could€have€investigated€hisÍcase€"a€little€better."€€Specifically,€he€asserted€that€trial€counsel€failed€toÏinterview€Janie€Jones€and€Lovell€Johnson.€€Mr.€Heck€testified€that€he€or€hisÏinvestigator€interviewed€all€State€witnesses.€€Additionally,€Ms.€Gothard€testifiedÏthat€her€investigator€interviewed€numerous€witnesses€who€heard€the€shots,€butÏnever€saw€the€shooting,€and€that€all€of€the€witnesses€identified€by€the€appellantÏwere€interviewed.€ÌÌà àThe€appellant€also€complains€that€trial€counsel€should€have€shown€himÏpictures€of€the€victim's€car€which€were€presented€to€the€jury.€€However,€heÏadmitted€that€he€had€nothing€to€tell€counsel€about€the€pictures€that€would€haveÏkept€them€out€of€evidence.€€This€issue€is€without€merit.ÌÌà@ àò òC.€€Counsel's€Failure€to€Complete€"TEST€DRIVE"€of€Appellant'sÏRouteó óÌà àThe€appellant's€contention€that€trial€counsel€was€ineffective€for€failure€toÏ"test€drive"€the€appellant's€alleged€route€to€determine€whether€the€State's€theoryÏof€the€case€was€possible.€€This€contention€was€directly€contradicted€by€Mr.ÏHeck's€testimony€that€he€did,€in€fact,€drive€the€route.€€This€issue€is€without€merit.ÌÌà@ àò òD.€€Counsel's€Failure€to€Properly€Prepareó ó€Ìà@ àò ò&€à@ à€Ìà@ àE.€€Counsel's€Failure€to€Adopt€a€Defense€Strategyó óÌà àThe€appellant€next€argues€that€trial€counsel€failed€to€collect€enoughÏevidence€to€defend€him€at€trial.€€Specifically,€he€refers€to€information€regardingÏthe€gun,€the€gun€fire,€and€the€victim's€drug€use.€€€Ms.€Gothard€testified€that€theÏappellant's€defense€was€self„defense.€€She€added€that€evidence€wasÏintroduced€at€trial€to€establish€this€defense.€€Counsel€attempted€to€introduceÏevidence€about€the€victim's€reputation€and€prior€criminal€record,€but€was€soÏprecluded€by€the€trial€court.€€The€appellant€conceded€that€he€decided€not€toÏtestify€due€to€his€own€lengthy€criminal€record.€€He€also€acknowledged€€that€hisÏdefense€was€self„defense.€€These€issues€are€without€merit.ÌÌà àThe€post„conviction€court€found€that€the€appellant€failed€to€carry€hisÏburden€of€proof.€€Furthermore,€the€trial€court€stated€that€"the€proof€has€shownÏjust€the€opposite"€of€the€appellant's€allegations.€€We€conclude€that€there€is€noÏevidence€in€the€record€that€preponderates€against€the€findings€of€the€trial€court.€ÏNot€only€has€the€appellant€failed€to€establish€any€scintilla€of€deficientÏperformance,€but€he€has€also€failed€to€show€how€his€attorneys'€performanceÏprejudiced€his€case.€€Accordingly,€we€affirm€the€trial€court's€order€denying€theÏappellant€post„conviction€relief.ÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà à____________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àDAVID€G.€HAYES,€JudgeÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌ__________________________________ÌJOE€B.€JONES,€Presiding€JudgeÌÌÌÌ__________________________________ÌWILLIAM€M.€DENDER,€Special€Judge