Meza-Lopez v. United States, No. 18-1858 (8th Cir. 2019)
Annotate this CaseThe Eighth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of petitioner's 28 U.S.C. 2255 motion based on ineffective assistance of counsel. The court held the ineffective assistance of counsel claim regarding petitioner's plea was properly denied, because a reasonable attorney could have determined that the record, including the government's uncontested evidence and petitioner's own colloquy with the magistrate judge, established an adequate factual basis for petitioner's guilty plea to the money laundering charge. The court also held that petitioner's claim that trial counsel improperly coerced the plea was properly rejected. Finally, the issue of ineffective assistance of appellate counsel was not included in the certificate of appealability and the court declined to address it.
Court Description: Shepherd, Author, with Colloton and Beam, Circuit Judges] Prisoner case - Habeas. A reasonable attorney could have determined from this record, including the government's evidence and petitioner's statements during the change-of-plea proceeding, that there was an adequate factual basis for his guilty plea to the money laundering charge, and the claim of ineffective assistance of counsel with respect to the plea was properly denied; claim trial counsel improperly coerced the plea was properly rejected; issue regarding ineffective assistance of appellate counsel was not included in the COA in the case and would not be considered.
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