Silkearia Marshall v. State of Florida
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
Date FiledFebruary 6, 2020
Docket1D18-1276
StatusPublished
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Full Opinion
FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL
STATE OF FLORIDA
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No. 1D18-1276
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SILKEARIA MARSHALL,
Appellant,
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA,
Appellee.
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On appeal from the Circuit Court for Duval County.
Mark Borello, Judge.
February 6, 2020
PER CURIAM.
Silkearia Marshall was charged with one count of attempted
second-degree murder and one count of shooting or throwing
deadly missiles. Marshall was found guilty as charged on both
counts at jury trial. The trial court sentenced her to thirty years
imprisonment on the attempted second-degree murder count with
a twenty-year minimum mandatory term and fifteen years for the
shooting deadly missile count. On appeal, Marshall argues that the
court erred in instructing the jury on a lesser-included offense,
that her conviction for shooting deadly missiles was not supported
by sufficient evidence, and that her thirty-year sentence was
impermissible. We reject Marshall’s claim that her sentence was
improper. We also find that her arguments regarding the jury
instructions and the sufficiency of the shooting deadly missile
count were not properly preserved for appellate review.
With regard to the two unpreserved issues, Marshall argues
that, even if the issues were unpreserved, she is still entitled to
relief because they both constitute ineffective assistance on the
face of the record. “Claims of ineffective assistance of counsel are
rarely addressed on direct appeal because they normally turn on
questions of fact and both sides are entitled to present relevant
evidence at an evidentiary hearing.” Barnett v. State, 181 So. 3d
534, 536 (Fla. 1st DCA 2015). In order to prevail on an ineffective-
assistance claim on direct appeal, an appellant must demonstrate
“‘ineffectiveness on the face of the record, indisputable prejudice,
and an inconceivable tactical explanation for the conduct.’”
Morales v. State, 170 So.3d 63, 67 (Fla. 1st DCA 2015). We find
that Marshall does not meet these standards.
In arguing that she is entitled to relief even if the issues are
unpreserved, we note that Marshall does not argue that they
constitute fundamental error. Instead, Marshall claims that
counsel’s failure to make the correct arguments was ineffective
and this ineffectiveness can be addressed on direct appeal.
This argument reveals an issue identified by the concurring
opinion in Latson v. State, 193 So. 3d 1070 (Fla. 1st DCA 2016)
(Winokur, J., concurring). The Latson concurring opinion notes
that “if the defendant does not properly preserve a claimed error,
the only statutorily-authorized basis for appellate relief is a
showing that the error is fundamental.” Id. at 1072. “The appellant
should not be permitted to circumvent this standard by claiming
that the failure to raise issues constitutes ineffective assistance,
which entails a different standard that could provide an easier
path to reversal, and which deprives trial counsel of the
opportunity to defend themselves against allegations of
unprofessional conduct.” Id. at 1074. We agree. Ineffective
assistance cannot be claimed as a means to avoid application of the
fundamental error standard on direct appeal.
AFFIRMED.
B.L. THOMAS, OSTERHAUS, and WINOKUR, JJ., concur.
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Not final until disposition of any timely and
authorized motion under Fla. R. App. P. 9.330 or
9.331.
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Andy Thomas, Public Defender, and Glen P. Gifford, Assistant
Public Defender, Tallahassee, for Appellant.
Ashley Moody, Attorney General, and Sharon Traxler, Assistant
Attorney General, Tallahassee, for Appellee.
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