Grooms v. State

DUNN, Justice.

Daniel Grooms (appellant) was convicted by a jury of grand theft on August 9, 1979. Appellant’s trial counsel failed to timely appeal from the conviction. In his petition for post-conviction relief, appellant contends that he was denied effective assistance of trial counsel. We agree, reverse and remand for a new trial.

Lyle Nelson, Marcia Lord, and appellant arrived in a pickup at the Gorder ranch near Estelline, South Dakota on Saturday morning, March 17, 1979. Appellant went to the ranch house and talked with Eunice Gorder. He and Nelson then unhooked a horse trailer from…