Whitfield v. State

OXBERGER, Chief Judge.

Petitioner Henry Lee Whitfield (Whitfield) appeals from a district court ruling denying his application for postconviction relief. Whitfield contends his trial attorney rendered ineffective assistance (1) by failing to communicate effectively the benefits of a plea bargain offered by the State, and (2) by failing, when he discovered the communication problem, either to withdraw or to seek the appointment of cocounsel who could communicate more effectively with an African-American1 defendant. We affirm.

*537In 1980 Henry Whitfield was accused of kidnapping and sexually abusing…