Mitchell v. State

Summary

The Supreme Court of Delaware affirmed the denial of Mitchell’s first postconviction motion. It held that his challenge to the sentencing judge’s alleged closed mind was procedurally unavailable under the applicable postconviction rule and, in any event, was previously adjudicated on direct appeal. It also rejected his ineffective-assistance claim because he did not show that obtaining forensic drug testing would have changed his decision to plead guilty, and his sworn plea-colloquy statements contradicted his claim of coercion.