Deforest Kelly v. State

Deforest Kelly appeals the summary denial of his Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.850 motion for postconviction relief. In the motion, Appellant argued that he was prejudiced by ineffective assistance of counsel because his defense attorney failed to obtain certified copies of prior convictions that would have permitted impeachment of the State’s key witness, Kent, and which may have otherwise assisted his defense. We reverse and remand for further proceedings.

Appellant was charged with kidnapping and robbing Kent. Appellant denied the charges and claimed that Kent was a drug dealer who…