Newly Discovered Evidence

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WI Court of Appeals – District I

Case Name: State of Wisconsin v. Willie Dorice Ford, Jr.

Case No.: 2018AP797-CR

Officials: Kessler, P.J., Brash and Dugan, JJ.

Focus: Newly Discovered Evidence

Willie Dorice Ford, Jr., pro se, appeals his judgment of conviction entered on a jury’s verdict finding him guilty of delivery of heroin weighing more than fifty grams, as a party to a crime. He also appeals an order of the circuit court denying his postconviction motion. Ford argues that he is entitled to a new trial based on newly discovered evidence; namely, affidavits from his mother and sister indicating that Ford had not been renting a room at his mother’s residence at the time it was searched, and that the heroin found there belonged to someone else, who is now deceased. Ford also argues that the circuit court erred in denying his pre-trial motion to suppress evidence discovered during a strip search of Ford; Ford asserts that it was an illegal body cavity search as opposed to a strip search.

Ford further argues that the circuit court demonstrated bias against him at sentencing in its comments regarding Ford’s role in a homicide for which he was acquitted. Finally, Ford contends that his trial counsel was ineffective for failing to call his mother and sister to testify at trial, failing to pursue an interlocutory appeal after his motion to suppress was denied, and failing to object to the circuit court’s comments about the homicide during his sentencing. The circuit court denied Ford’s postconviction motion without a hearing. We affirm.

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Derek A Hawkins is trademark corporate counsel for Harley-Davidson. Hawkins oversees the prosecution and maintenance of the Harley-Davidson’s international trademark portfolio in emerging markets.