WPC> ,> j]vev:Ӻ ?O( ˡ[-L]Ŷ:)C5]e4__SD^m!NEuѹ}flLM8TK3 I<(j{bڇ niFϔ]C`X R_BHl_v!'}B?rEk9wºnrkX>ffHXG>3EЙM &"-āBP(K8!Woab %\^ b 0nU$NwD4H\ zk m # U@   ] # 0DN---E////////////////////////b111111111111111111111111111111111111 09999 B$$ 0A D5 D- 0KGG AS 0 0DO Ap+ (`$.8dd8    ("  Z6Times New Roman RegularYo)bk2tX3|x C:\PROGRA~1\COREL\WORDPE~1\TEMPLATE\CUSTOM~1\REVISE~1.WPTC:\Program Files\Corel\WordPerfect Office 2000\Template\Custom WP Templates\revised standard opinion.wptUHP LaserJet 4050 Series PCL 60(9 Z(Times New Roman Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(#$  0  - -(|G2$ !.8dd8         0  } d(|3$ !.8dd8     VVVV)!dxdx)!dxdx( $ Figure  1  ^_X`YE<<CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(|3$ !.8dd8     ($$   1  X[Z&OLE 2.0 Box <=8C HKKKK !.8dd8     __  8ZXXdd8  @ttINTHECOURTOFCRIMINALAPPEALSOFTENNESSEE  @%ATJACKSON##Ԉ &   AssignedonBriefsJune13,2001 L XZX #XXZ#TIFFANY_LAFONZO_Ԁ_BETTS_v.STATEOFTENNESSEEXZX  J @@ DirectAppealfromtheCriminalCourtforMadisonCounty  J @@No.C99336JoeC.Morris,Judge  6 @@*AV) ` dE<` A   @@TTNo.W200002004CCAR3PC_Ԅ_ԀFiledAugust13,_2001_   AV) ` dE<|` A }     ThepetitionerwasoriginallyconvictedbyaMadisonCountyjuryofseconddegreemurderand x  unlawfulpossessionofaweaponemployedincommittingtheoffense.Hereceivedaneffective20 d yearsentence.T#XXZ#XZXhepetitionersubsequentlysoughtpostconvictionrelief,whichwasdenied.The P petitionerappealsthedenialofpostconvictionreliefbasedonineffectiveassistanceofcounsel, < allegingtrialcounselfailedtoadequatelydiscussthestatespleaofferpriortotrial.Weconclude (x thatthepostconvictioncourtcorrectlydeniedpostconvictionrelief. d   #XXZ8#XZX   `     h      p      x  Tenn.R.App.P.3AppealasofRight;JudgmentoftheCriminalCourtAffirmed#XXZ?#XZX  <   #XZg #XZX.JoeG.Riley,J.,deliveredtheopinionofthecourt,inwhichNormaMcGeeOgle,J.,and  CorneliaA.Clark,Sp.J.,joined.#XXZ #XZX  ErnestT.Brooks,II,Jackson,Tennessee,fortheappellant,Tiffany_Lafonzo_Ԁ_Betts_.  PaulG.Summers,AttorneyGeneralandReporter;J.RossDyer,#XXZ #XZXԀAssistantAttorneyGeneral;#XXZ #XZXԀJames ` G.(Jerry)_Woodall_,DistrictAttorneyGeneral;andAlfredL.Earls,AssistantDistrictAttorney L  General,fortheappellee,StateofTennessee.#XXZM #XZX 8!    OPINION #XXZn #XZX #L# #XXZ #  XZX   OnApril8,1993,thepetitionershotandkilledthevictimwithasawedoffshotgun %$!% followinganargumentconcerninganunpaiddebtowedbythevictim.Petitionercontendedheshot &"& thevictiminselfdefense.Atpetitionersfirsttrialonchargesoffirstdegreemurder,thejurywas '"' unabletoreachaverdict.Onthedayofthepetitionerssecondtrial,thepetitionerrejectedthe (#( statespleaofferofsixyearsforvoluntarymanslaughter.Thepetitionerproceededtotrial,andthe )$) juryconvictedhimofseconddegreemurderandunlawfulpossessionofaweaponemployedin p*%* committingtheoffense.Thepetitionersubsequentlyreceivedaneffectivesentenceof20years.The \+&+  convictionswereaffirmedondirectappeal.SeeStatev.Tiffany_Lafonzo_Ԁ_Betts_,C.C.A.No. H,', _02C01-9709-CC-00337,1999WL38267(Tenn.Crim.App.filedJanuary29,1999,atJackson),  perm.toapp.denied(Tenn.1999).   @  POSTCONVICTIONHEARINGTESTIMONY  `   Thepetitionertestifiedatthepostconvictionhearingthathewasofferedapleaagreement 8  immediatelypriortohissecondtrial,andtrialcounselfailedtothoroughlydiscussthepleaofferwith $ t him.Instead,petitionertestifiedthattrialcounsel justtoldmewhattheofferwasandadvisedthat  ` wewas[sic]goingtotrial.Morespecifically,thepetitionerstatedthattrialcounselinformedhim  L  thatthestatesofferwassixyears,withnoprobation,forapleatovoluntarymanslaughter.  8  Petitionercontendedtrialcounselshouldhaveexplainedtheofferindepthsohecouldunderstand $  thefullramificationsofhisdecision.     Thepetitionerstrialcounsel,DanielJ.Taylor,testifiedthatimmediatelypriortojury   selection,thestateofferedapleaagreementofsixyearsprobationinexchangeforapleaof   voluntarymanslaughter.Hethenexplainedtheoffertothepetitioner,remindingthepetitionerthat p hewaschargedwithfirstdegreemurderandthepenaltyrangehefacedifconvicted.Taylor \ informedthepetitionerthatifhetookthepleaoffer,hewouldservenoadditionaltimeinjailonthis H charge.Taylorfurtherstatedthatthedefendantquestionedhimconcerningthepleaoffer,expressed 4 thatheactedinselfdefense,andrejectedtheoffer,stating Imnotgoingtopleadtoanything.  p @V V  POSTCONVICTIONCOURTSFINDINGS  4   Thepostconvictioncourtfoundthatthepetitionerwasproperlyadvisedofthepleaoffer,   understoodtheoffer,andunderstoodthepossibilityofreceivingalifesentenceforfirstdegree  murderifhewenttotrial.Thecourtfurtherfoundthatpetitionerchosetorejectthestatesoffer.  Astotheconflictingtestimonybetweenthepetitionerandhistrialcounsel,thepostconvictioncourt   attribute[d]greaterweighttothetestimonyoftrialcounsel.Accordingly,thepostconvictioncourt l deniedrelief. X  @   INEFFECTIVEASSISTANCEOFCOUNSEL  #l!  XZXXXZ  ThiscourtreviewsaclaimofineffectiveassistanceofcounselunderthestandardsofBaxter $D # v.Rose,523S.W.2d930(Tenn.1975),andStricklandv.Washington,466U.S.668,104S.Ct. %0!$ 2052,80L.Ed.2d674(1984).Thepetitionerhastheburdentoprovethat(1)theattorneys &"% performancewasdeficient,and(2)thedeficientperformanceresultedinprejudicetothedefendant '#& soastodeprivehimofafairtrial.Strickland,466U.S.at687,104S.Ct.at2064;Goadv.State, (#' 938S.W.2d363,369(Tenn.1996);Overtonv.State,874S.W.2d6,11(Tenn.1994);Butlerv.State, )$( 789S.W.2d898,899(Tenn.1990). |*%)  h+&* #XZXX XZb#@& ANALYSIS    A.StandardofReview  t  XZXXXZ  Thetrialjudge'sfindingsoffactonpostconvictionhearingsareconclusiveonappealunless L  theevidencepreponderatesotherwise.Statev.Burns,6S.W.3d453,461(Tenn.1999).Thetrial 8  courtsfindingsoffactareaffordedtheweightofajuryverdict,andthiscourtisboundbythetrial $ t courtsfindingsunlesstheevidenceintherecordpreponderatesagainstthosefindings.Henleyv.  ` State,960S.W.2d572,578(Tenn.1997);Alleyv.State,958S.W.2d138,147(Tenn.Crim.App.  L  1997).Questionsconcerningthecredibilityofwitnessesandtheweightandvaluetobegivento  8  theirtestimonyareresolvedbythetrialcourt,notthiscourt.Burns,6S.W.3dat461.Theburden $  ofestablishingthattheevidencepreponderatesotherwiseisonpetitioner.Henley,960S.W.2dat   579.#XZXX XZN!#    B.Conclusion      Inthiscasethepostconvictioncourtconcludedthepetitionerrejectedthepleaofferafterit \ wasproperlyconveyedtohimbytrialcounsel.Thepostconvictioncourtresolvedtheconflicting H testimonyintrialcounselsfavorandagainstthepetitioner.Thetrialcourt,notthiscourt, 4 determinesissuesofcredibility.Burns,6S.W.3d461.Theevidencedoesnotpreponderateagainst  p thefindingsofthepostconvictioncourt.   \   We,therefore,concludethatthepetitionerhasfailedtodemonstratethathereceived 4 ineffectiveassistanceofcounsel.Accordingly,thejudgmentofthepostconvictioncourtisaffirmed.        `     h     ___________________________________     `     h     JOEG.RILEY,JUDGE