Lee v. State

SULLIVAN, Justice.

Defendant Phillip Lee was convicted of Dealing In Cocaine, 1 a class A felony, and of being a habitual offender. 2 He was sentenced to a total executed term of 80 years. On appeal, defendant contends that he was denied the effective assistance of counsel to which he is constitutionally entitled. U.S. Const, amend VI; Ind. Const, art. I, § 13.

We have jurisdiction over this direct appeal because the longest single sentence exceeds fifty years. Ind. Const. art. VII, § 4; Ind.Appellate Rule 4(A)(7); Buie v. State, 633 N.E.2d 250, 252 (Ind.1994).

Background

On April 30, 1996, after…