LATOSHA STARKS-TWILLEY v. STATE OF TENNESSEE - Articles

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LATOSHA STARKS-TWILLEY v. STATE OF TENNESSEE

Posted by: Azya Thornton on Mar 12, 2025

Court: TN Court of Criminal Appeals

Attorneys 1: Brennan M. Wingerter, Assistant Public Defender – Appellate Director, Tennessee District Public Defenders Conference, Franklin, Tennessee, for the appellant, Latosha Starks- Twilley.

Attorneys 2: Jonathan Skrmetti, Attorney General and Reporter; Ronald L. Coleman, Senior Assistant Attorney General; Steve Mulroy, District Attorney General; and Leslie Byrd, Assistant District Attorney General, for the appellee, State of Tennessee.

Judge(s): CAMPBELL

The Petitioner, Latosha Starks-Twilley, appeals the Shelby County Criminal Court’s denial of her post-conviction petition, seeking relief from her conviction of first degree premeditated murder and resulting life sentence. On appeal, the Petitioner claims, and the State concedes, that the post-conviction court erred by summarily denying her pro se petition without appointing counsel or holding an evidentiary hearing because the petition alleged a colorable claim of ineffective assistance of counsel. Based on our review, we reverse and vacate the judgment of the post-conviction court and remand the case to that court for the appointment of counsel and for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.

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