Miles v. State

Melvin Lee Miles was convicted of assault in the first degree and was sentenced to five years' imprisonment. On this direct appeal from that conviction, the appellant argues that he was denied the effective assistance of trial counsel. This issue was first raised in a motion for new trial.

The appellant contends that his retained trial counsel did not investigate the witnesses, the crime scene, and the character witnesses, and that counsel had very little knowledge of the facts of the case.

Only two witnesses testified at the hearing on the motion for new trial: the appellant and his private…