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D3KKK 0D~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ AO 0D D/ BJ(hH  Z 6Times New Roman RegularX($,  AZ"Arial Regular D D D e    +  ӀuM%ulyAu3|x  ^   `   1     XCXXX XXCԀTestimonyrevealedthattheattorneysoriginalcasefilehadbeenlost,andmostlikely  destroyed,duetothecollapseofanofficebuildinginwhichhewaspracticing.(*(2$ !   `   0  (#$  0  ,  AZ"Arial Regular ^   `   1    XCXXXXXCԀTestimonyrevealedthattheattorneysoriginalcasefilehadbeenlost,andmostlikely  destroyed,duetothecollapseofanofficebuildinginwhichhewaspracticing.,  AZ"Arial Regular ^   `   1    XCXXXXXCԀTestimonyrevealedthattheattorneysoriginalcasefilehadbeenlost,andmostlikely  destroyed,duetothecollapseofanofficebuildinginwhichhewaspracticing.,  AZ"Arial Regular XXXXXX   Ad FILEDXX  December18,1998CecilW.CrowsonAppellateCourtClerkdAM ,cAZ"Arial Regular d""""'dxd(3$ !  -C<< CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$   1  ' dxdP Pd !     XXXXTR[A' Legal3'A' Legal3'T   r*<,(j 8` `@E ` 8ttxP  rߛ @ INTHECOURTOFCRIMINALAPPEALSOFTENNESSEE  @SS'ATNASHVILLE@RR#OCTOBER1998SESSION  CHAUNCEYR.  GORDON,@-) JB @-) p No.01C019710CC00483 0(   ` Appellant,@-)   @-) p GilesCounty   v.@-)   @-) p Hon.RobertL.Jones,Judge     STATEOFTENNESSEE,@-) p    @-) ` Appellee.@-) p (PostConviction) zr (  @(#(#(FortheAppellant:     JosephW.Henry,Jr.    119SouthFirstStreet  Pulaski,TN384780458  FortheAppellee:     JohnKnoxWalkup  AttorneyGeneralandReporter  andKarenM.YacuzzoAssistantAttorneyGeneralCordellHullBuilding,2ndFloor425FifthAvenueNorthNashville,TN372430493T.MichaelBottomsDistrictAttorneyGeneral  andRichardH.DunavantAssistantDistrictAttorneyGeneralGilesCountyCourthouseP.O.Box304Pulaski,TN384780304 **"#+ (  @(OPINIONFILED:򀀀 Z1R*1  AFFIRMED 5-5  JosephM.Tipton  708  Judge  819  X7lXdXXd7@'   OPINION      X',, XX'  Thepetitioner    appealsthedenialofhispetitionforpostconvictionrelief.OnJanuary2,1991,  thepetitioner    pledguiltytoonecountoffirstdegreemurderandonecountofseconddegreemurder.Hereceivedanagreedsentenceoflifeplustwentyfiveyears,respectively.  Thepetitioner    nowattacksthevalidityofthatguilty  plea,     arguingthat    thepleawasnotvoluntarily,knowingly,andunderstandinglymade.   Uponacompletereviewoftherecord,weconcludethattheevidencedoesnotpreponderateagainstthe  trial    courtsfindings.Thus,we  affirm    thedismissalofthepetition.@-D FACTS    In  October    1989,  thepetitioner    shotandkilledhisgirlfriendandhermother.AGilesCountyGrandJuryindictedhimontwocountsoffirstdegreemurder.The  district     attorneys    officesoughtthedeathpenalty.Throughextensive  negotiations,the    petitionersappointedcounselsecuredapleaagreement  that    allowed  thepetitioner    topleadguiltytoonecountoffirstdegreemurderandonecountofseconddegreemurder.  Thepetitioner    receivedalifesentenceandtwentyfiveyears,respectively,torunconsecutively.@$D A.GuiltyPleaHearing  +$(  Attheguiltypleahearing,the  trialcourt    addressednumerousquestionstothepetitionertoascertainwhetherheunderstoodthenatureoftheproceedingsandthewaiverofhisrights.  Thepetitioner    indicatedthathedidunderstandandthatthepleawasvoluntary.He  also    expressedsatisfactionwithhiscounselsrepresentation.      When  thepetitionerdenied    rememberingthedetailsofthecrimeitselfduetointoxication,the  trialcourtinquired    furtherintothecircumstancessurroundingthe plea.The  trialcourtsinquiry    revealedthatcounselhaddiscussedandinvestigatedthe |9t28 possibilityofanintoxicationdefensefor  thepetitioner.  Counselsinvestigationshowedthatthewitnesses  testimonywouldcontrovert  sucha  defense,notsupportit.  The     trialcourtthen     confirmed    thatcounselhadexplainedthesethings  tothe    petitionerandthat  he    stillwishedtoentertheplea.  Thepetitioner    indicatedthathedidwanttoenterthe  plea.     Thus,    thetrialcourtapprovedtheagreementandthepleawasentered.@"D B.PostConvictionHearing  h`  Atthepostconvictionhearing,the  trialcourt    heardtestimony  fromthe    petitionersappointedcounselatthetrial  level    and  thepetitioner    himself.The  trialcourt    alsoreceivedthedepositiontestimonyofRudyRains,  thepetitioners    AdultBasicEducationteacher,andDr.EdwardBloser,aprisonpsychologist.The  trialcourtfiled    awrittenorderofdenial  that     included    specificfindingsrelatingtoeachof  thepetitioners    averments.@=='D 1.  TrialCounsel     #    Thepetitionerstrialattorney    acknowledgedlittleindependentrecollectionofhisdiscussionswith  thepetitioner    leadinguptotheplea.          #  1       However,histestimony x'p $ indicatedappropriatepreparationforacaseofthismagnitude.    Therewereextensivenegotiationswiththe  district   attorneys  officeinreachingthepleaagreement.Herecalledseveralmeetingswith  thepetitioner,   thepetitioners  father,  and  otherpeopleassociatedwith  thepetitioners  family.Healsoremembereddiscussionswith  thepetitioner  aboutthedeathpenalty  aggravators  ,theirpossibleapplicability,andtheramificationsofproceedingtotrialversusacceptingapleaagreement.   706     Theattorney  recalledinvestigatingthepossibilityofanintoxication defense.Theinvestigationrevealedthatthewitnesses,includingtwoTennesseeHighway  PatrolOfficers  andaneyewitnesstooneoftheshootings,didnotseeanythingtoindicate  thatthe  petitionerwassignificantlyimpaired.  Theattorney  testifiedthathefelt  thepetitioner  understoodtheguiltypleaproceedings.  Hesaidthatifhe  hadanyreservationsabout  thepetitioners  abilitytounderstand,hewouldhaveaskedthe  trialcourt  tobemorespecific,gointomoredetail,andusenonlegalterminology.@(D 2.RudyRains    RudyRains,  thepetitioners  AdultBasicEducationteacher,testifiedbydepositionregarding  thepetitioners  currentacademicabilitiesandintellectualcapabilitiesinaclassroomsetting.   Mr.Rains  characterized  thepetitioner  as prettysmartwith lotsofcommonsensecomparedtootherinmates.Itwashisopinionthat  thepetitioner   suffered  fromalearningdisabilityinreadingandreadingcomprehension.However,  Mr.Rains  believedthatifsomeonereadthepleadocumentto  thepetitioner,  hecouldunderstandit.@QQ%D 3.Dr.EdwardBloser  8)0"&  Dr.Bloser,apsychologistattheprison,testifiedbydepositionthathisdepartmentevaluated  thepetitioner  attherequestoftheeducationalstaff.  Hesaidthatthe  typeofevaluationrequestedisperformedincasesofsuspectedlimitedintellectualcapacity.Theresultsshowed  abelow   thirdgrade  spellingability,a  sixthgrade  mathability,andoverall  comprehension  andreadingskillsata  fourthgrade   level.Thepetitionerhada  fullscaleIQscoreof  fiftyeight.  Thisplaced  him  inthemildlymentallyretardedrange.However,  Dr.Bloser  expresseddeepreservationsaboutrelyingonIQtestsandcharacterizedthemas  very   inaccurate.      p9h28  Although  theIQtestresultplaced  thepetitioner  atalevelofmildmental retardationand  his  comprehensionleveltestedfairlylow,  Dr.Bloser  didnotbelievethat  thepetitioner  wasmildlymentallyretarded.  Hesaidthatthepetitioners  IQwashigherthantheaverageinmate,andhisabilitytocomprehendwasatleastthesameastheaverageinmate.       @WW&D 4.ChaunceyGordon      Thepetitioner  testifiedthathedidnotunderstand  thathe  wasoriginallychargedwithtwocountsoffirstdegreemurderanddidnotunderstandwhathewasdoingwhenhepledguilty.Hetestifiedthathisattorneyknewhecouldnotread  andthattheattorney  readthedocumentstohim.  Hesaidthatalthough  hedid  notunderstand  theattorneysexplanationsofthedocuments,hesignedthemanyway.     Thepetitioner   testified  thathedidnotunderstandmostofwhatthejudgesaidtohimatthe  pleahearing.   Hesaidthathe  didnotunderstandthejudgesexplanationoftheintoxicationdefense.  Hesaidthathe  agreedwitheverythingthatwassaidtohimbecause [  i]t  sembarrassingtositinfrontofalotofpeopleandtosay...  I  cantreador...Idontunderstandthis.     Thepetitioner  acknowledgedthatheansweredthequestionsattheguiltyplea  hearingwithout  beingpromptedbyhisattorney.  Heconcededthathereceivedadvicefromafellowinmatewhoconvincedhimthatifhehadgonetotrial,hemightnothavebeenconvictedoffirstdegreemurder.@D 5.PostConvictionOrderofDenial  42,+0  Thetrialcourtfoundthepetitiontobewithoutmerit.Specifically,itfoundthatthepetitionersresponsesattheguiltypleahearingandtheentirerecordindicatethatthepetitioner understoodthenatureofthechargesagainsthimandallofhisrightsatthetimethepleawasentered.Thetrialcourtnotedthatthepetitionerstestimonyatthepostconvictionhearingwasselfservingandnotcrediblecomparedtohis <;44: statementsattheguiltypleahearing.ThetrialcourtnotedthatneitherMr.RainsnorDr.Bloserwouldcharacterizethepetitionerasmildlymentallyretarded.Thetrialcourtfurthernotedthataccordingtotheirtestimony,thepetitionercouldunderstandwhatsomeoneelsereadtohimandwouldhaveunderstoodquestionsaskedbythecourt.The trial postconviction courtconcludedthattheguiltypleawasknowinglyandvoluntarilyentered.  @DD/D @&DSTANDARDOFREVIEW       Thetrialcourt'sfindingsoffactonpostconvictionhearingsareconclusiveonappealunlesstheevidencepreponderatesotherwise.Butlerv.State, x 789S.W.2d898,899(Tenn.1990);Adkinsv.State,911S.W.2d334,341(Tenn.Crim. LD App.1995).  Theburdenofestablishingthattheevidencepreponderatesotherwiseisonthepetitioner.Henleyv.State,960S.W.2d572,578(Tenn.1997);Blackv.State,  794S.W.2d752,755(Tenn.Crim.App.1990).Thiscourtmaynotreweighorreevaluatetheevidence,norsubstituteitsinferencesforthosedrawnbythetrialcourt.Henleyv.State,960S.W.2dat579;Masseyv.State,929S.W.2d399,403(Tenn. H @ Crim.App.1996);Blackv.State,794S.W.2dat755.Questionsconcerningthe "  credibilityofwitnessesandtheweightandvaluetobegiventotheirtestimonyareresolvedbythetrialcourt,notthiscourt.Henley,960S.W.2dat579;Black,794 %" S.W.2dat755.@*D CONCLUSION  +$(  Thiscourthasexaminedtheentirerecordofthiscaseincludingthetranscriptoftheguiltypleahearing,thepostconvictionhearingtranscript,andthetrialcourtsorderofdenial.Theevidencedoesnotpreponderateagainstthefindingsmadebythe trial postconviction courtinitsthoroughorderofdenial.  Inconsiderationoftheforegoingandtherecordasawhole,weaffirmthejudgmentofthe trial postconviction court. H;@4:          h      p   _________________________    h      p   JosephM.Tipton,JudgeCONCUR:_________________________JoeG.Riley,Judge_________________________JamesCurwoodWitt,Jr.,Judge