Ineffective Assistance of Counsel

Listen to this article

WI Court of Appeals – District I

Case Name: State of Wisconsin v. Steve DeShunn Young

Case No.: 2020AP1142-CR; 2020AP1143-CR; 2020AP1144-CR

Officials: Brash, C.J., Donald, P.J., and White, J.

Focus: Ineffective Assistance of Counsel

Steve Deshunn Young appeals his judgments of conviction entered after he pled guilty to charges of operating a vehicle without the owner’s consent; second-degree recklessly endangering safety, with a habitual criminality enhancer; felony bail jumping, with a habitual criminality enhancer; possession with intent to deliver heroin; and possession with intent to deliver cocaine. He also appeals the order denying his postconviction motion.

In his postconviction motion, Young argued that the prosecutor materially and substantially breached the plea agreement with comments made at the sentencing hearing, and that his trial counsel was ineffective for failing to object to that breach. He therefore requested a Machner hearing on this issue, seeking to withdraw his pleas or alternatively, to be resentenced. The postconviction court rejected his claims without granting a hearing. Upon review, we affirm.

Full Text

Derek A Hawkins is Corporate Counsel, at Salesforce.