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ÔÔ€#ÔÒ D ÒÒ ¦ ÒÝ  ÝÑ ` ÑÑ X ÑÑ7€2XXdÈdÈ7ÑÑ  ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÓ  ÓÔ€ÔÙ€€ÙßR€'(&A1-j|` 81 `€€@ÿRß›Þ ÞÌà àà àò òIN€THE€COURT€OF€CRIMINAL€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÓ  Óà@ àNOVEMBER€1997€SESSIONÌÌÌÌó óÌò òDERRICK€M.€CAREY,à àà àà à)ó óÌà àà àà àà àà àà àò ò)ó óà àò òC.C.A.€NO.€01C01„9612„CR„00528ó óÌà àà àAppellant,à àò ò€€€€€à àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àDAVIDSON€COUNTYó óÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà àò ò)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àHON.€SETH€NORMAN,ÌSTATE€OF€TENNESSEE,à àà àà à)à àJUDGEÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àó óAppellee.ò òà àà àà à)à àó ó(Post„conviction)ò òÌó óÌÌÌòòFOR€THE€APPELLANT:óóà àà àà à€€€€€òòà àFOR€THE€APPELLEE:óóÌÌÌò òMARIAN€C.€FORDYCEà àà àà àà àJOHN€KNOX€WALKUPÌó ó129€Second€œAve.,›€Northà àà àà àà àAttorney€General€&€Reporterò òÌó óNashville,€TN€37201ò òÌó óà àà àà àà àò òà àà àà àDARYL€J.€BRANDó óÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àAsst.€Attorney€GeneralÌ€€à àà àà àà àà àà àà à450€James€RobertsonÏPkwy.à àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àNashville,€TN€€37243„0493Ìà àà àà àà àÌà àà àà àà àò òà àà àà àVICTOR€S.€JOHNSON,€IIIó óÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àDistrict€Attorney€GeneralÌÌà àà àà àà àò òà àà àà àKYMBERLY€HAASó óÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àAsst.€District€Attorney€GeneralÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àWashington€Square,€Suite€500Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à222€Second€œAve.,›ÏNorthà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àNashville,€TN€37201Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àÌà àà àà àà àÌOPINION€FILED:____________________ÌÌÌÌò òAFFIRMEDó óÌÌÌò òJOHN€H.€PEAY,ó óÌJudgeÌÇÓ  ÓÑ  Ñœ›à@ àò òòòO€P€I€N€I€O€NÌÌÓÓÌó óóóà àà àThe€petitioner€was€charged€with€first„degree€murder,€felony€murder,Ïespecially€aggravated€robbery,€and€two€counts€of€theft.€€In€September€1993,€he€pledÏguilty€to€felony€murder€and€especially€aggravated€robbery.€€He€received€a€sentenceÏof€life€imprisonment€for€the€felony€murder€conviction€and€a€consecutive€twenty€yearÏsentence€for€the€remaining€conviction.€€On€July€18,€1994,€he€filed€a€petition€for€post„conviction€relief€alleging€that€his€plea€was€not€entered€freely€and€voluntarily€and€thatÏhe€was€denied€the€effective€assistance€of€counsel.€€Counsel€was€appointed€for€theÏpetitioner€and€after€some€time,€the€petitioner€agreed€to€accept€the€aid€of€appointedÏcounsel.€€Following€an€evidentiary€hearing€on€March€20,€1996,€the€post„convictionÏcourt€dismissed€his€petition.€€It€is€from€this€dismissal€that€the€petitioner€now€appeals.ÌÌà àà àAfter€a€review€of€the€record€and€applicable€law,€we€find€no€merit€to€theÏpetitionerððs€œappeal›€and€œthus›€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€court€below.à àà àÌÌà àà àThe€petitionerððs€convictions€stem€from€his€involvement€in€a€robbery€ofÏLas€Palmas€Mexican€Restaurant€in€Antioch,€œTennessee,›€on€January€7,€1993.€€TheÏpetitioner€entered€the€restaurant€carrying€a€œsawed„off›€shotgun€and€demanding€thatÍemployees€open€the€safe.€€When€one€employee€said€the€safe€could€not€be€opened,Ïthe€petitioner€shot€him€in€the€chest.€€The€petitioner€and€three€other€men€then€took€anÏundetermined€amount€of€money€from€the€restaurant€and€fled.€€The€victim€wasÏpronounced€dead€upon€his€arrival€at€the€hospital.€€The€petitioner€attempted€toÏescape€by€fleeing€the€scene€in€a€stolen€vehicle.€€When€he€was€apprehended€a€shortÏtime€later,€he€was€still€in€possession€of€the€murder€weapon€and€an€amount€of€cash.€ÏThe€petitioner€later€gave€police€a€complete€statement€as€to€his€involvement.€€TheÏthree€other€men€involved€were€also€apprehended.€€Two€of€these€men€gaveÏstatements€to€the€police€and€in€their€statements,€they€named€the€petitioner€as€theÏtrigger€man.ÌÌà àà àAt€the€post„conviction€hearing,€the€petitionerððs€trial€counsel,€TommyÏOverton,€testified€that€he€had€been€retained€by€the€petitionerððs€family€to€represent€theÏpetitioner.€€He€further€testified€that€at€the€entry€of€the€guilty€plea,€the€petitioner€hadÏbeen€fully€informed€about€his€case.€€He€stated€that€he€had€read€the€guilty€plea€form€toÏthe€petitioner€and€had€explained€all€legal€terms.€€He€further€told€the€petitioner€thatÏpleading€guilty€was€a€decision€for€the€petitioner€to€make.ÌÌà àà àMr.€Overton€stated€that€he€had€thought€it€would€be€a€mistake€to€go€toÍtrial€and€that€he€had€conveyed€his€opinion€to€the€petitioner.€€He€further€stated€that€heÏhad€gone€over€the€evidence€with€the€petitioner€and€the€petitionerððs€family€on€severalÏoccasions.€€Mr.€Overton€told€the€court€that€the€evidence€against€the€petitioner€wasÏoverwhelming€and€that€in€his€opinion,€the€petitioner€had€an€excellent€chance€ofÏreceiving€the€death€penalty.€€He€testified€that€the€petitioner€had€no€real€defense€andÏthat€the€petitioner€had€made€other€incriminating€admissions€to€him.€€He€furtherÏtestified€that€had€the€district€attorney€become€aware€of€these€admissions,€the€StateÏwould€have€certainly€pursued€the€death€penalty.€€Mr.€Overton€noted€that€the€man€whoÏhad€been€the€lookout€during€the€robbery€had€gone€to€trial€and€had€received€theÏsame€sentence€the€defendant€had€been€offered€in€the€plea€agreement.ÌÌà àà àMr.€Overton€testified€that€he€and€the€petitioner€had€discussed€a€possibleÏrelease€date€for€the€petitioner€if€he€were€to€be€granted€parole.€€However,€he€said€thatÏhe€had€explicitly€stated€that€the€date€was€only€a€possibility€and€not€a€guarantee.€€HeÏfurther€testified€that€he€had€told€the€petitioner€that€he€would€likely€have€to€serveÏbetween€nineteen€and€twenty„three€years€before€even€becoming€eligible€for€parole.€ÏMr.€Overton€also€stated€that€he€had€made€it€quite€clear€to€the€petitioner€that€hisÏsentences€would€be€consecutive€and€not€concurrent.€ÌÌà àà àÓÓÓ  ÓÓÓThe€petitioner€then€testified€that€he€had€signed€the€plea€agreement€onlyÏafter€his€attorney€had€convinced€him€to€do€so.€€He€testified€that€Mr.€Overton€had€toldÏhim€that€he€would€likely€be€sentenced€to€death€and€that€he€would€have€no€chance€onÏappeal.€€The€petitioner,€who€completed€only€the€ninth€grade,€stated€that€he€can€ð ðreadÏa€littleðð€and€that€he€had€read€some€of€the€plea€agreement.€€He€further€stated€that€itÏhad€been€his€understanding€that€his€sentences€were€to€run€concurrently€rather€thanÏconsecutively.€€The€petitioner€further€complained€that€his€guilty€plea€had€not€beenÏentered€into€voluntarily€because€he€had€not€known€ð ðwhat€was€going€on€completely.ððÌÌà àà àOn€cross„examination,€the€petitioner€stated€that€he€had€not€discussedÏthe€facts€of€his€case€with€Mr.€Overton.€€He€said€he€had€some€knowledge€of€theÏevidence€against€him€but€that€he€was€not€fully€informed.€€He€then€refused€to€answerÏany€questions€from€the€State€that€were€aimed€at€discovering€exactly€what€knowledgeÏhe€had€of€the€evidence€against€him.€€He€refused€to€answer€any€questions€about€theÏfacts€surrounding€his€case,€calling€the€questions€irrelevant€to€the€proceeding.€€ÌÌà àà àAs€to€any€discussion€of€the€death€penalty,€the€petitioner€testified€that€Mr.ÏOverton€had€told€him€he€would€likely€be€sentenced€to€death€because€he€was€a€blackÏman€and€that€he€would€not€get€a€fair€trial.€€He€further€testified€that€Mr.€Overton€hadÍintimidated€him€in€various€ways€and€had€used€ð ðscare€tacticsðð€to€convince€him€toÏplead€guilty.€€He€further€testified€that€he€had€been€led€to€believe€that€his€sentencesÏwould€run€concurrently€rather€than€consecutively.€€However,€at€the€time€he€enteredÏthe€plea,€he€agreed€to€accept€consecutive€sentences.€€He€testified€that€the€reason€heÏhad€accepted€the€plea€without€question€was€because€he€was€being€manipulated€byÏhis€attorney.€€Ìœ›à àà àThe€petitioner€testified€that€he€had€discussed€with€his€mother€œhisÏpleading€guilty.›€€He€further€testified€that€his€mother€had€thought€it€best€that€he€acceptÏthe€plea€agreement€and€that€he€then€told€his€attorney€he€would€plead€guilty.€€TheÏpetitioner€also€stated€that€Mr.€Overton€had€told€him€he€would€be€eligible€for€parole€inÏseventeen€years€but€that€he€did€explain€the€role€of€the€parole€board.€€ÌÌà àà àThe€transcript€from€the€entry€of€the€guilty€plea,€which€was€attached€asÏan€exhibit€to€this€proceeding,€revealed€that€the€petitioner€stated€he€understood€theÏproceeding€and€that€he€had€been€satisfied€with€Mr.€Overtonððs€representation.€€HeÏfurther€stated€that€he€had€entered€the€plea€freely€and€voluntarily.€€He€then€pled€guiltyÏto€felony€murder€and€especially€aggravated€robbery.€€He€received€a€life€sentence€forÏthe€felony€murder€conviction€and€a€consecutive€sentence€of€twenty€years€for€theÏremaining€conviction.ÌÌà àà àœð ðIn›€post„conviction€relief€proceedings€the€peti‚tioner€has€the€burden€ofÏproving€the€allegations€in€his€[or€her]€petition€by€a€preponderance€of€the€evidence.ðð€ÏòòMcBee€v.€Stateóó,€655€S.W.2d€191,€195€(Tenn.€Crim.€App.€1983).€€Fur‚thermore,€theÏfactual€findings€of€the€trial€court€in€hearings€ð ðare€conclusive€on€appeal€unless€theÏevidence€preponderates€against€the€judgment.ðð€€òòState€v.€Bufordóó,€666€S.W.2d€473,Ï475€(Tenn.€Crim.€App.€1983).ÌÌÓ  Óà àà àThe€post„conviction€court€found€that€Mr.€Overton€was€not€ineffective€inÏhis€representation€of€the€petitioner.€€The€court€further€found€that€the€petitionerÏunderstood€his€plea€and€that€his€contention€that€Mr.€Overton€was€ineffective€for€notÏadvising€him€of€his€exact€release€date€was€without€merit.€€We€agree€with€theÏconclusions€of€the€trial€court.ÌÌà àà àThe€petitioner€entered€his€plea€freely€and€voluntarily.€€He€was€given€theÏopportunity€at€the€entry€of€the€plea€to€ask€any€questions€or€to€voice€his€displeasureÏwith€his€attorney.€€He€took€neither€opportunity.€€Mr.€Overton€had€clearly€advised€theÏdefendant€of€the€consequences€of€pleading€guilty,€and€we€find€absolutely€nothing€inÏthe€record€to€support€the€œpetitionerððs›€contention€that€his€plea€was€not€voluntarilyÍœentered.›à àÌœ›Ìà àà àThe€petitioner€next€complains€that€his€trial€counsel€was€ineffective.€€InÏreviewing€this€claim,€this€Court€must€deter‚mine€whether€the€advice€given€or€servicesÏrendered€by€the€attorney€are€within€the€range€of€competence€demanded€of€attorneysÏin€criminal€cases.€€òòBaxter€v.€Roseóó,€523€S.W.2d€930,€936€(Tenn.€1975).€€To€prevail€onÏa€claim€of€inef‚fective€counsel,€a€petitioner€ð ðmust€show€that€counselððs€representa‚tionÏfell€below€an€objective€standard€of€reason‚ablenessðð€and€that€this€performanceÏprejudiced€the€defense.€€There€must€be€a€reasonable€probability€that€but€for€counƒselððs€error€the€result€of€the€proceeding€would€have€been€different.€€òòStrickland€v.ÏWashingtonóó,€466€U.S.€668,€687„88,€692,€694€(1984);€òòBest€v.€Stateóó,€708€S.W.2d€421,Ï422€(Tenn.€Crim.€App.€1985).ÌÌà àà àTo€satisfy€the€requirement€of€prejudice,€he€would€have€had€toÏdemonstrate€a€reasonable€probability€that,€but€for€coun‚selððs€errors,€he€would€notÏhave€pled€guilty€and€would€have€insisted€on€going€to€trial.€€òòSeeóó€òòHill€v.€Lockartóó,€474ÏU.S.€52,€59€(1985);€òòBankston€v.€Stateóó,€815€S.W.2d€213,€215€(Tenn.€Crim.€App.€1991).ÌÌà àà àAgain,€we€find€nothing€in€the€record€to€support€the€petitionerððs€claim€thatÍhis€counsel€was€ineffective.€€Mr.€Overton€testified€that€he€had€carefully€studied€theÏevidence€and€had€determined€that€the€petitioner€would€be€in€danger€of€beingÏsentenced€to€death.€€He€further€testified€that€he€had€kept€the€petitioner€fully€informedÏœabout›€the€overwhelming€evidence€against€him.€€As€to€the€petitionerððs€release€date,ÏMr.€Overton€testified€that€he€never€guaranteed€the€petitioner€he€would€be€released€byÏa€certain€date.€€He€only€told€the€petitioner€when€it€might€be€possible€for€him€to€goÏbefore€the€parole€board.€€We€find€no€merit€to€the€petitionerððs€contention€that€his€trialÏcounsel€was€ineffective.€€To€the€contrary,€Mr.€Overton€represented€the€petitioner€quiteÏadequately€and€secured€a€favorable€plea€agreement.€€We€affirm€the€trial€courtððsÏdismissal€of€this€petition€for€post„conviction€œrelief.ÌÌÓÓÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà à________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àJOHN€H.€PEAY,€Judge›ÌœÌÌÌCONCUR:›ÌÌœÌÌ______________________________›€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€œÌJOSEPH›€M.€TIPTON,€JudgeÌÌÌÌœ______________________________›€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌDAVID€H.€WELLES,€Judge€€€€€Ì