Whited v. State

I respectfully dissent. As the main opinion explains, Howard Carl Whited, on appeal, contends that his trial counsel was ineffective because, he says, among other things, his trial counsel waived closing argument. Specifically, Whited argues that “[t]he primary opportunity to explain the evidence .. to the jury occurs when counsel makes his closing argument at the end of the case[, and that] [t]he gravest shortcoming in [Whited’s trial counsel’s] representation of [Whited] — the principal error that most prejudiced [Whited]— ... was [his trial counsel’s] failure to make a closing argument.”…