Townsend v. State

Leslie Townsend appeals an order summarily denying his rule 3.850 motion. Townsend’s motion and amended motions raised several claims. We reverse and remand as to two grounds, and otherwise affirm.

One ground concerns Townsend’s claim that counsel rendered ineffective assistance when he failed to secure a medical expert to refute the state’s evidence of sexual contact. The other ground is that counsel was ineffective for stipulating that Townsend met the sexual predator designation criteria.

Townsend was convicted of lewd and lascivious battery, simple battery, false imprisonment, and procuring…