United States v. Thomas Allen Sheehy

Thomas Sheehy was convicted of criminal assault in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. §§ 113(c) and 1153 at a jury trial on August 3, 1981, and sentenced to five years impris onment. Defendant appeals the trial court’s 1 denial of appellant’s motion for a new trial based on ineffective assistance of counsel. We affirm for the reasons hereinafter discussed.

On October 3, 1980, Sheehy was involved in a fight with Warren Deegan outside a dance held at the Bois Forte Indian Reservation. Evidence clearly showed that during the altercation Sheehy cut Deegan’s neck with a knife. However, there was a…