State v. McDowell

¶ 1. Derryle S. McDowell appeals from a judgment entered on jury verdicts convicting him of robbery, kidnapping, and five counts of first-degree sexual assault while using a dangerous weapon, all as party to a crime, and from the order denying his motion for postconviction relief. He argues that trial counsel rendered ineffective assistance, effectively abandoning the defense of his case, by abruptly shifting from question-answer questioning to narrative-response questioning during his testimony.

¶ 2. McDowell's appeal presents the important issue of whether, and under what circumstances, a…