Mark Purnell, Defendant Below, Appellant v. State of Delaware, Plaintiff Below, Appellee

Summary

The Supreme Court of Delaware affirmed the denial of Purnell's postconviction motion, rejecting all four ineffective-assistance claims. It held that counsel performed deficiently by failing to request an accomplice-credibility instruction, but Purnell failed to show a reasonable probability of a different verdict because substantial independent evidence corroborated the accomplice's testimony. The court further held that counsel was not ineffective regarding a limiting instruction, empaneling a new jury, or alleged prosecutorial vouching.