LUIS MOYA,
v.
THE STATE OF FLORIDA,

Fla. 3d DCA | 2023-03-29
No. 2022-1312
Miller, J.
Florida District Court of Appeal, Third District (2023)

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Synopsis

Luis Moya appeals the trial court's summary denial of his postconviction ineffective assistance of counsel motion. The appellate court finds that while most of Moya's claims lack merit, the trial court erred in summarily dismissing his allegation that counsel failed to move to strike a sleeping juror without holding an evidentiary hearing to explore counsel's reasoning.


Holding

The court holds that the trial court erred in summarily denying the ineffective assistance claim regarding the sleeping juror. An evidentiary hearing is required to determine whether counsel's failure to move to strike the juror constitutes ineffective assistance, as the record does not conclusively refute Moya's allegation and counsel's reasoning for inaction is not apparent.


Headnotes

[1] A defendant's allegation of ineffective assistance of counsel based on counsel's failure to object to a sleeping juror may warrant an evidentiary hearing when the record…

[2] A trial court's determination that defense counsel's action or inaction was tactical is generally inappropriate without an evidentiary hearing.

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Key Quotes

“Counsel may have had strategic reasons for not seeking to replace the sleeping juror during the trial, but a trial court's finding that a decision was tactical usually is inappropriate without an evidentiary hearing.”

Establishes that courts cannot summarily conclude counsel's inaction was strategic without hearing evidence at an evidentiary hearing

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Facts & Procedural History

During Moya's trial, his counsel observed a juror sleeping at various points during the proceedings. Counsel alerted the trial court to this fact but …

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Opinion of the Court

MILLER, J.

Appellant, Luis Moya, challenges the trial court’s summary denial of his postconviction relief motion alleging ineffective assistance of counsel pursuant to Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.850. In his motion, Moya raised a myriad of grounds. All were without merit, save the allegation that the failure by his trial counsel to object to a sleeping juror rose to the level of ineffective assistance of counsel under the framework set forth in the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668 (1984).

The record supports the contention that Moya’s counsel purportedly observed a juror sleeping at various junctures during the trial. She alerted the trial court to the fact but declined to later move to strike the offending juror. Her reasoning for failing to so move is not readily apparent.

Accordingly, the record does not conclusively refute Moya’s allegation of ineffective assistance of counsel, and an evidentiary hearing is in order. See Erlsten v. State, 842 So. 2d 967, 968–69 (Fla. 4th DCA 2003) (“Counsel may have had strategic reasons for not seeking to replace the sleeping juror during the trial, but a trial court’s finding that a decision was tactical usually is inappropriate without an evidentiary hearing.”); Guisasola v. State, 667 So. 2d 248, 249 (Fla. 1st DCA 1995) (“[A] trial court’s finding that some action or inaction by defense counsel was tactical is generally inappropriate without an evidentiary hearing.”); Evans v. State, 737 So. 2d 1167, 1168 (Fla. 2d

DCA 1999) (“A trial court’s finding that defense action or inaction is the result of trial strategy will generally be disapproved if the decision is made without the benefit of an evidentiary hearing.”). We affirm in all other regards. Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded.


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