Vent v. State

OPINION

BOLGER, Judge.

The question presented in this appeal is whether we should vacate the superior court's decision denying an application for post-conviction relief because the judge conducted independent research into the facts and then relied on those facts to reject the claims of ineffective assistance of counsel. We hold that the trial judge's conduct created an appearance of partiality that warrants his disqualification from this case, and that requires a new post-conviction relief hearing before a different judge.

*754Background

A jury convicted Eugene Vent of second-degree murder,1…