Waples v. State

Summary

The Court affirmed the denial of Waples's first postconviction-relief motion. It held that the record did not support his claim that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to investigate mental-health or competency defenses, and that his knowing, intelligent, and voluntary guilty plea and the substantial sentencing benefit he received defeated both deficient-performance and prejudice showings. The Court declined to review additional claims not presented below because they did not satisfy the plain-error standard, and held that the Brady claim was waived by the guilty plea and that counsel had in any event pursued it before the plea.