Close v. People

In this Crim. P. 35(c) case, we are asked to address the issue of whether conflict-free counsel should be appointed for James Close in order to investigate and pursue potential relief from operation of the post-conviction time bar, at a trial court hearing, based upon the justifiable excuse or excusable neglect exception to the time bar and a colorable claim of ineffective assistance of counsel for failure to raise the applicability of People v. Nguyen, 900 P.2d 37 (Colo.1995). The Colorado Office of the Public Defender represented Close in direct appeal and post-conviction proceedings…