Clint Beavers, Appellant v. State of Arkansas, Appellee

Summary

The court held that defense counsel provided ineffective assistance by incorrectly advising Beavers about parole eligibility under a twenty-year plea offer, causing him to reject a substantially more favorable resolution and proceed to trial. The court found both deficient performance and prejudice, reversed the denial of postconviction relief, and ordered the State to reoffer the plea. Justice Wynne, dissenting, would have affirmed because the circuit court reasonably resolved conflicting testimony against Beavers and found no prejudice.