Smith v. State

Grant, Justice.

Deion Smith was found guilty of malice murder and arson in connection with the violent death of 15-year-old Jasmine Moore.1 Smith now appeals, arguing that his trial counsel was ineffective for failing to challenge the sufficiency of the indictment and failing to thoroughly cross-examine Smith's co-defendant, Tyberius Murchinson. Because we find that Smith's trial counsel was not constitutionally ineffective, we affirm.

I

Viewed in the light most favorable to the verdicts, the evidence presented at trial showed the following. Shortly before her death, Moore told her cousin,…