State v. Tyrus Lee Cooper

*443¶1 Mr. Tyrus Lee Cooper moved the circuit court, prior to sentencing, to withdraw his guilty plea. The circuit court refused his request. Two years later, we disciplined his attorney (Michael J. Hicks) for professional misconduct that included his handling of Mr. Cooper's defense.1 Mr. Cooper believes our opinion in that disciplinary proceeding proved his counsel had provided ineffective assistance in his criminal case. That, he says, is a "fair and just reason" for withdrawing his plea. For the following reasons, we disagree.2

I. BACKGROUND

¶2 Mr. Cooper was charged with a single count of…