Matter of Personal Restraint of Riley

Facts of Case

The petitioner in this personal restraint proceeding alleges that he was denied effective assistance of counsel, in violation of his Sixth Amendment rights, when he agreed to an amended sentence after his attorney allegedly gave him erroneous legal advice.

Keith Allan Riley, the petitioner, had two criminal trials scheduled in King County Superior Court in August 1988. The first, for second degree burglary, began August 8, 1988. Mr. Riley attended 2 days of the trial and then failed to return for the remainder of the trial. On August 10, 1988, in his absence, a jury found him…