Earl Jefferson v. State of Tennessee

The petitioner, Earl Jefferson, was convicted by a jury of premeditated first degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. His conviction was affirmed by this Court on appeal. See State v. Earl T. Jefferson, No. W2000-00608-CCA-R3-CD, 2001 WL 687061, at *5 (Tenn. Crim. App. at Jackson, June 12, 2001) perm. app. denied (Tenn. Oct. 29, 2001). The petitioner’s Rule 11 application for permission to appeal to the Tennessee Supreme Court was denied on October 29, 2001. Id. The petitioner then filed a pro se petition for post-conviction relief. After counsel was appointed, an amended petition was filed, alleging that the petitioner received ineffective assistance of counsel at trial and that his right to a speedy trial was denied. The post-conviction
court denied the petition after a hearing. Because we determine that the petitioner did receive the effective assistance of counsel and the speedy trial claim has been waived, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.