State Ex Rel. Strogen v. Trent

This original proceeding is before this Court upon the petition of Matt Joseph Stro-gen for relief in habeas corpus. In 1990, the petitioner entered a plea of guilty in the Circuit Court of Raleigh County, West Virginia, to the offense of murder of the first degree, W.Va.Code, 61-2-1 [1987], with mercy. The petitioner is incarcerated at the Mt. Olive Correctional Complex in Fayette County, West Virginia. The petitioner asserts a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel.

In December 1995, this Court issued a rule to show cause and ordered the respondent, George Trent, Warden, to appear. W.Va.…