Critical Thinking:
Rock star Tim Three-Tone has been convicted of first-degree murder in the death of his manager. Famed courtroom reporter Nancy Lace notes that Tim's lawyer, Rickey James, had fallen asleep during the prosecutor's closing arguments, but had otherwise done a reasonable job considering how much forensic evidence the prosecution presented. Tim, however, feels that his lawyer did a particularly poor job during the sentencing phase of his bifurcated trial. Even Nancy Lace notes that it was odd for the lawyer not to call any witnesses in the sentencing phase or to offer any evidence of mitigating circumstances-especially in light of Tim Three-Tone's well-chronicled tale of surviving childhood abuse. Timmy is ultimately sentenced to die by lethal injection.
-The weight of the evidence against Tim cannot be considered as a relevant criterion in determining whether his ineffective counsel claim should succeed.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Answer of Critical Thinking:
Rock star Tim Three-Tone has been convicted of first-degree murder in the death of his manager. Famed courtroom reporter Nancy Lace notes that Tim's lawyer, Rickey James, had fallen asleep during the prosecutor's closing arguments, but had otherwise done a reasonable job considering how much forensic evidence the prosecution presented. Tim, however, feels that his lawyer did a particularly poor job during the sentencing phase of his bifurcated trial. Even Nancy Lace notes that it was odd for the lawyer not to call any witnesses in the sentencing phase or to offer any evidence of mitigating circumstances-especially in light of Tim Three-Tone's well-chronicled tale of surviving childhood abuse. Timmy is ultimately sentenced to die by lethal injection.
-The weight of the evidence against Tim cannot be considered as a relevant criterion in determining whether his ineffective counsel claim should succeed.

Critical Thinking: Rock Star Tim Three-Tone Has Been Convicted of First-Degree Murder