Matthew Gunner v. Robert Welch

OPINION

EDWARD R. KORMAN, District Judge.

This appeal from a judgment of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio denying a petition for a writ of habeas corpus raises a significant issue regarding the obligation of assigned appellate counsel in Ohio. Specifically, petitioner was convicted of drug trafficking offenses and sentenced to two concurrent ten year mandatory-minimum sentences. Prior to trial, the prosecutor offered petitioner a plea that would have eliminated the mandatory-minimum sentence of ten years. R. 8-1, Tr. of Proceedings at 118-21 (Page ID # 166-69).…