ÿWPCã ßB ¶³›ÆØŠ¶ÉbÇ¥ð›Ô$ë>á†Ê4Zdx Î <ÏR3´—Ïž±Ô^4\¾·2Ë4zM¹ƒAË}Hª…©–Ÿ$:ÁÉ'@9¸õszÞV¿%àå9¶—c²záÂ^äÌh\ŒÚW¹™ô¶~l·‡°wÐ>_Í·ÌáOn>ߎóE¤ƒ§‹G’±å–$‡ŽÌ#_+þw­¡>Žð£ãÍPäI®9KMÐø· à<ØúÏþ«B]š˜€ýBl8ýÒh4'Šão}ƒ_¶?‘  ¹¨ËxR·î™¦ˆ¾l(á†ÎŸy‘`ºo‹NŸ¡ œZ¬zÎä{ã(±š¿=’ÝŠ5Ö–$¦éhö¸ §)µ ·DÌÏKU»7 Jpô«vœ 1þôlƒÆó¬u)þ™ñáY6Lߥó2Ši·ƒä¹ÍÌsC‡uÙÇk³=Ùp'Ë;LhÒ¯oµªšChÙuª- 2œÔ<@3éaH†ÉüJ¶g3SXŒˆfRƨºÊGÐá–è™@¤©ˆÍ¿øèæƒß$4 %ú‘(Ÿ…# F %Q UNW 0Æ¥ U:k 4¥ ¹ È  Ð w@ð U:0U:jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj B¤¤¤¤¤ D3ÁÁÁ 0Dôô 88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 AO>Æ 0DS D/— BƘHP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLÐX(ÖÃ9 Z ‹6Times New Roman Regular(žjÆ$¡¡Ñ` ` ÑÑÜÜÑÒ4°ÒÒX°ÒÑTR[  AØ'ÿ Legal[  AØ'ÿ Legal AØ'ÿ Legal AØ'ÿ LegalTÑÓÓ, øð AZ"Arial Regularƒƒ '3|xŠ Ô€ XsÇXXXÔÔ€ î­¬îX XsÇÔÓ  ÓÔ Ad ÔFILEDÔ€ Ãî î­¬ÔÐ  ÐÌò òAugust€25,€1999Ð ¶¶ ÐÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€ ô«Ÿô ÃÔAppellate€CourtÐ –– ÐClerkó ó vDwxDyDz{E|}D~)eÓ€,c½¬AZ‹"Arial Regular,c½¬AZ‹"Arial Regular d%%%%'ÿÿdxd(3¯$££Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  ÝH€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒjÆ!ÝÑ` °ÑÑܰÑÒ4°ÒÒX°ÒÑTR[¤ AØ'ÿ Legal3Ø' AØ'ÿ Legalÿ3Ø'TÑÓÓÝ  Ýñ~ñ›ñ~ññ~ñ›ñ~ñÑ7€grXdìXXdð7ÑÑ  ÑÔ€ XsÇXXXÔññœßr€ *<,(j 8 `€€@Ehf  tt0" ` ¨Ørß›ññà@g g ÚàòòIN€THE€COURT€OF€CRIMINAL€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEóóˆÐ `  Ðà@*ÚàòòAT€KNOXVILLEóóˆÐ , Ì Ðà@(ÚàJULY€1999€SESSIONˆÌÌADRIAN€WAITE,à < àà ” àà ì à*à D àC.C.A.€#€03C01„9809„CR„00343€Ð 0 Ðà Œ àAppellant,à < àà ” àà ì à*à D àHAMILTON€COUNTYÐ \ü  ÐVS.à Œ àà ä àà < àà ” àà ì à*à D àHon.€Stephen€M.€Bevil,€JudgeÐ (È  ÐÓÓSTATE€OF€TENNESSEE,à ” àà ì à*à D à(Post„Conviction)Ð ô”  ÐÌà Œ àAppellee.à < àà ” àà ì à*Ð À` ÐÌÌÌÌÌòòFor€Appellantóó:à < àà ” àà ì àà D àòòFor€Appelleeóó:Ð $Ä ÐÌTom€Landis,€Attorney€à ” àà ì àà D àPaul€G.€Summers€Ð ð ÐSuite€327à ä àà < àà ” àà ì àà D àAttorney€General€and€ReporterÐ Öv Ð744€McCallie€Avenue€à ” àà ì àà D àÐ ¼ \ ÐChattanooga,€TN€€37403à ” àà ì àà D àà ì àà D àTodd€R.€Kelley€Ð ¢!B Ðà Œ àà ä àà < àà ” àà ì àà D àAssistant€Attorney€GeneralÌà Œ àà ä àà < àà ” àà ì àà D à425€Fifth€Avenue€North€Ìà Œ àà ä àà < àà ” àà ì àà D àSecond€Floor,€Cordell€Hull€BuildingÌà Œ àà ä àà < àà ” àà ì àà D àNashville,€TN€€37243„0493ÌÌà Œ àà ä àà < àà ” àà ì àà D àMark€A.€HootonÌà Œ àà ä àà < àà ” àà ì àà D àAssistant€District€Attorney€GeneralÌà Œ àà ä àà < àà ” àà ì àà D àThird€FloorÌà Œ àà ä àà < àà ” àà ì àà D àHamilton€County„City€Courts€Building€Ìà Œ àà ä àà < àà ” àà ì àà D àChattanooga,€TN€€37402ÌÌÌÌOPINION€FILED:__________________________ÌÌÌÌAFFIRMEDÌÌÌÌGARY€R.€WADE,€PRESIDING€JUDGEÐ  f5,1S ÐÓÓà@33-ÚàòòOPINIONóóˆÐ `  Ðà Œ àà ä àThe€petitioner,€Adrian€Waite,€appeals€the€trial€court's€denial€of€post„¼conviction€relief.€€The€single€issue€presented€for€review€is€whether€the€defendantÏwas€denied€the€effective€assistance€of€counsel€prior€to€entering€a€guilty€plea.€€WeÏfind€no€error€and€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court.€€ÌÌà Œ àà ä àOn€May€13,€1993,€the€petitioner€entered€pleas€of€guilt€to€secondÏdegree€murder€and€aggravated€assault.€€The€trial€court€imposed€consecutiveÏsentences€of€twenty€years€and€six€years,€respectively.€€On€November€16,€1995,€theÏpetitioner€filed€this€petition€for€post„conviction€relief,€claiming€that€because€his€trialÏcounsel€was€ñ~ñœñ~ñineffective,€hisñ~ñ›ñ~ññ~ññ~ñ€guilty€pleas€were€neither€knowingly€nor€intelligentlyÏmade.€€More€specifically,€he€contended€that€the€pleas€were€made€under€duress€andÏthat€his€trial€counsel€failed€to€adequately€investigate€the€charges,€failed€to€develop€aÏstrategy€of€defense,€and€otherwise€failed€to€comport€with€the€standards€required€ofÏthe€profession.€€ÌÌà Œ àà ä àThe€trial€court€summarily€dismissed€the€petition€and,€on€appeal,€thisÏcourt€reversed,€holding€as€follows:ÌÓÓà8 Œ àà8ä Œ (#Œ (#àÔ‡XÜPXX XsÇÔBefore€there€can€be€a€preliminary€dismissal€...,€theÐ ¸)X $ Ðstatute€requires€the€trial€court€to€assume€"as€true"€theÏfacts€alleged€by€the€petitioner.€€Here,€the€petitioner,Ïnotwithstanding€the€contents€of€the€transcript€of€his€guiltyÏpleas,€contended€that€his€submission€to€the€charges€wasÏbrought€about€€through€"duress,"€"false€promise,"€andÏ"coerced€help."€€Ô#† XsÇXXXÜPˆ#ÔÔ‡XÜPXX XsÇÔHe€asserted€that,€as€a€result€of€theseÐ X/ø%* Ðimproper€influences,€his€pleas€were€neither€knowingly€norÏvoluntarily€entered;€he€insisted€that€but€for€the€deficientÏrepresentation€of€his€counsel,€he€would€not€haveÏconceded€his€guilt€to€the€charges.€€Ô#† XsÇXXXÜP@#ÔÐ3¸).ä Ð ä Ð  ÐÌà8 Œ àà8ä Œ (#Œ (#àÔ‡XÜPXX XsÇÔThose€allegations,€of€course,€may€be€exceedingly€difficultÐ î4Ž+0 Ðto€prove.€€Yet,€even€when€it€is€unlikely€that€a€petitionerÏcouldÔ% €/ Ô€adequately€establish€the€violation€of€hisÏconstitutional€rights,€the€new€post„conviction€statuteÏcontemplates€and€due€process€requires€that€he€at€leastÐ ®8N/4 Ðbe€afforded€the€opportunity.€€The€transcript€is€indeedÐ þ8ž/5 Ðpersuasive€evidence€that€the€pleas€were€freely,Ïvoluntarily,€and€intelligently€made;€the€content€of€theÏpetition,€if€taken€as€true,€does,€however,€raise€potentialÏgrounds€for€relief.€ñ~ñœñ~ñÔ#† X£–XXX£–T#ÔÐ ²ä Ð ä Ð  Ðñ~ñ›ñ~ññ~ññ~ññ~ñœñ~ñÌòòÓÓAdrian€Waite€v.€Stateóó,€No.€03C01„9602„CR„00083,€slip€op.€at€4€(Tenn.€Crim.€App.,Ð Þ ~ Ðat€Knoxville,€March€11,€1997).€€ÌÌñ~ñ›ñ~ññ~ññ~ññ~ñœñ~ññ~ñ›ñ~ññ~ññ~ñà Œ àà ä àOn€remand,€counsel€was€appointed€for€the€petitioner,€amendmentsÏwere€filed,€and€an€evidentiary€hearing€was€conducted.€€The€claim€ñ~ñœñ~ñfor€relief€isñ~ñ›ñ~ññ~ññ~ñ€basedÏin€great€measure€on€a€May€6,€1993,€hearing€wherein€the€trial€court€convened€toÏconsider€the€submission€of€a€guilty€plea.€€At€that€proceeding,€the€petitioner€initiallyÏrefused€to€answer€questions€and€ultimately€denied€any€participation€in€the€murder.€ÏThe€trial€court€adjourned€without€approving€ñ~ñœñ~ñtheñ~ñ›ñ~ññ~ññ~ñ€proposed€plea€agreement.€€A€weekÏlater,€the€petitioner€acknowledged€that€he€had€stabbed€the€victim,€Angela€Ransom,Ïand€that€he€wanted€to€accept€the€plea€agreement.€€At€that€time,€the€petitionerÏassured€the€trial€judge€that€he€had€been€neither€forced€nor€threatened€to€accept€theÏplea€and€expressed€a€full€understanding€of€the€consequences€of€his€plea.€€He€alsoÏstipulated€that€he€had€attacked€a€second€victim,€Jolene€McClendon,€causing€slightÏbodily€injury.€€As€a€part€of€the€agreement,€a€rape€charge€was€voluntarily€dismissedÏby€the€state.€€ÌÌà Œ àà ä àAt€the€evidentiary€hearing,€the€petitioner's€mother,€Shirley€Waite,Ïtestified€that€she€had€attempted€to€persuade€the€defendant€to€plead€guilty€basedÏupon€the€advice€of€his€trial€counsel,€Brenda€Siniard.€€On€cross€examination,€Ms.ÏWaite€acknowledged€that€she€had€not€been€present€during€the€submission€hearingÏon€May€13,€1993.€€Maxine€W.€Smith,€the€grandmother€of€the€petitioner,€alsoÏtestified.€€She€recalled€that€the€she€had€also€persuaded€the€petitioner€to€plead€guiltyÏfor€fear€that€he€might€either€receive€a€life€sentence€or€face€the€death€penalty€on€theÏmurder€charge.€€Ms.€Smith€was€also€not€present€at€the€submission€hearing.Ð þ8ž/5 Їà Œ àà ä àThe€petitioner€testified€that€he€was€innocent€of€the€crimes.€€He€statedÏthat€he€pled€guilty€because€his€trial€counsel€failed€to€interview€witnesses€who€mightÏtestify€on€his€behalf.€€He€testified€that€his€relatives€had€asked€him€to€plead€guilty€andÏthat€his€trial€counsel€had€advised€that€the€trial€judge€would€not€accept€a€guilty€pleaÏunless€he€acknowledged€having€stabbed€the€victim.€€The€petitioner€claimed€that€heÏwas€merely€following€his€counsel's€advice,€despite€his€strong€disagreement€and€didÏso€only€because€he€was€"so€shaken€up."€€ÌÌà Œ àà ä àTrial€counsel€recalled€that€the€petitioner€had€been€charged€with€firstÏdegree€murder,€aggravated€rape,€and€aggravated€assault.€€She€testified€that€theÏpetitioner€had€waived€a€potential€conflict€of€interest€so€that€she€could€serve€asÏdefense€counsel.€€Trial€counsel€acknowledged€that€she€recommended€acceptanceÏof€the€ñ~ñœñ~ñguiltyñ~ñ›ñ~ññ~ññ~ñ€plea€due€to€her€belief€that€if€the€petitioner€chose€a€trial,€it€was€likely€thatÏhe€would€be€found€guilty€of€first€degree€murder.€€She€contended€that€she€hadÏconducted€an€adequate€investigation€before€suggesting€acceptance€of€the€offerÏmade€by€the€state€and€that€she€had€conducted€an€in€depth€review€of€the€file€of€theÏprosecution.€€Trial€counsel€claimed€that€the€only€hesitancy€exhibited€by€the€petitionerÏbefore€his€plea€of€guilt€related€to€the€length€of€the€proposed€sentence,€not€any€claimÏof€innocence.€€ÌÌà Œ àà ä àAt€the€conclusion€of€the€evidentiary€hearing,€the€trial€court€determinedÏthat€the€pleas€had€been€knowingly€and€voluntarily€entered.€€The€trial€court€observedÏthat€none€of€the€evidence€offered€during€the€evidentiary€hearing€contradicted€theÏcontent€of€the€transcript€of€the€submission€hearing.€€It€found€"nothing€in€the€record€toÏsupport€[the]€allegation€that€there€was€ineffective€assistance€of€counsel€or€that€thereÏwas€any€pressure€on€[the€petitioner]€to€plead€ñ~ñœñ~ñguilty."ñ~ñ›ñ~ññ~ññ~ñ€€The€trial€court€specificallyÏaccredited€the€testimony€of€trial€counsel€over€that€offered€by€the€petitioner.Ð 8¸.4 Їà Œ àà ä àIn€order€for€the€petitioner€to€be€granted€ñ~ñœñ~ñpost„conviction€relief€onñ~ñ›ñ~ññ~ññ~ñ€theÏgrounds€of€ineffective€ñ~ñœñ~ññuñassistance€of€ñuñcounsel,ñ~ñ›ñ~ññ~ññ~ñ€he€must€establish€that€the€advice€givenÏor€the€services€rendered€were€not€within€the€range€of€competence€demanded€ofÏattorneys€in€criminal€cases€and€that,€but€for€his€counsel's€deficient€performance,€theÏresults€of€his€trial€would€have€been€different.€€òòBaxter€v.€Roseóó,€523€S.W.2d€€930Ð 0 Ð(Tenn.€1975);€òòStrickland€v.€Washingtonóó,€466€U.S.€668€(1984).€€This€two„partÐ \ü  Ðstandard,€as€it€applies€to€guilty€pleas,€is€met€when€the€petitioner€establishes€that,€butÏfor€his€counsel's€errors,€he€would€not€have€pleaded€guilty€and€would€have€insistedÏon€trial.€€òòHill€v.€Lockhartóó,€474€U.S.€52€(1985).€€Ð À` ÐÌà Œ àà ä àThe€burden€is€on€the€petitioner€to€show€the€evidence€preponderatesÏagainst€the€findings€of€the€trial€judge.€€òòClenny€v.€Stateóó,€576€S.W.2d€12€(Tenn.€Crim.Ð $Ä ÐApp.€1978).€€Otherwise,€the€findings€of€fact€made€by€the€trial€court€are€ñ~ñœñ~ññvñiñvññwñcoñwñnclusive.ñ~ñ›ñ~ññ~ññ~ñ€ÏòòGraves€v.€Stateóó,€512€S.W.2d€603€(Tenn.€Crim.€App.€1973).€€Ð ¼ \ ÐÌà Œ àà ä àThe€content€of€the€record€does€not€preponderate€against€the€findingsÏmade€by€the€trial€judge.€€In€our€view,€that€the€petitioner€followed€the€advice€of€hisÏgrandmother,€his€mother,€and€his€trial€counsel€does€not€mean€that€the€plea€wasÏinvoluntary.€€In€fact,€that€kind€of€collaboration€suggests€that€the€pleas€wereÏknowingly€and€intelligently€made,€after€a€careful€consideration€of€the€facts€andÏcircumstances€surrounding€the€ñ~ñœñ~ñchargesñxñ€madeñxñ.ñ~ñ›ñ~ññ~ññ~ñ€€That€an€aggravated€rape€charge€wasÏdismissed€by€the€state€as€a€part€of€the€agreement€and€that€the€first€degree€murderÏcharge€was€reduced€to€second€degree€murder€indicates€some€benefit€from€theÏefforts€of€trial€counsel€and€the€ñ~ñœñ~ññyñcareful›€consiñyññ{ññzñthoughfulñzññ{ññ|ñthoughtful€participation€ñ|ññ}ñderation›€on›€the›€part›€ñ}ñofñ~ñ›ñ~ññ~ññ~ñ€the€petitioner€before€hisÏacknowledgment€of€responsibility€for€each€of€the€crimes.€€In€summary,€the€evidenceÏdoes€not€preponderate€against€the€conclusions€made€by€the€trial€judge.€€ÌÐ 8¸.4 Ðà Œ àà ä àAccordingly,€the€judgment€is€affirmed.Ìñ`ññbñ›ñbññbññbññbñœñbñ‡ñañÌñaññbñ›ñbññbññbññbñœñbññañÌñaññbñ›ñbññbññbñÓÓà Œ àà ä àà < àà ” àà ì àà D à________________________________Ìà Œ àà ä àà < àà ” àà ì àà D àGary€R.€Wade,€Presiding€Judge€ÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌ_____________________________ÌDavid€H.€Welles,€JudgeÌÌÌÌ_____________________________ÌJoe€G.€Riley,€Judge€