Ineffective Assistance of Counsel.

Byline: Derek Hawkins

WI Court of Appeals District IV

Case Name: State of Wisconsin v. Eric G. Koula

Case No.: 2017AP1995

Officials: Fitzpatrick, P.J., Blanchard, and Kloppenburg, JJ.

Focus: Ineffective Assistance of Counsel

Eric Koula, pro se, appeals a circuit court order that denied Koula's WIS. STAT. 974.06 (2017-18)1 motion seeking relief from a judgment of conviction for two counts of first degree intentional homicide. Koula contends that his trial counsel were ineffective by failing to properly investigate and do the following: (1) file a Denny motion to implicate Koula's brother-in-law, Patrick Cowell, in the murders; (2) present evidence challenging the State's time-of-death evidence; (3) present evidence challenging the State's physical evidence; (4) present fingerprint evidence; (5) present financial evidence to contradict the State's theory of Koula's motive; and (6) challenge actions and statements by the State that Koula asserts were dishonest and...