Joel Ernest Blanton v. State of Tennessee

A White County jury convicted petitioner, Joel Ernest Blanton, of one count of rape of a child and two counts of aggravated sexual battery, for which the trial court ordered an effective twenty-four-year sentence. Following the direct appeal, petitioner filed a petition for post-conviction relief alleging several instances of ineffective assistance of counsel. On appeal, petitioner pursues only one claim of error, that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to obtain visitor logs from the Tennessee Department of Correction (“TDOC”) that could have been used to impeach the primary material witnesses against him. Following our review of the record, the parties’ briefs, and applicable case law, we agree with petitioner and reverse and remand this case for a new trial.