State v. Walker

Boggs, Judge.

The State appeals from the trial court’s order granting James D. Walker a new trial on the basis of ineffective assistance of trial counsel. Under the applicable standard of review, the trial court did not clearly err in concluding that counsel’s failure to investigate, interview, and present two exculpatory witnesses constituted ineffective assistance. We therefore affirm.1

To succeed on his claim of ineffective assistance, [Walker] must satisfy both prongs of Strickland v. Washington, 466 U. S. 668 (104 SC 2052, 80 LE2d 674) (1984); that is, he must prove that his attorney’s…