The defendant, Gerald Williams, was convicted after a jury trial in Superior Court of unlawful possession of ammunition without an identification card, G. L. c. 269, § 10(h), and unlawful possession of a firearm, G. L. c. 269, § 10(a). He was also convicted after a subsequent offender, jury-waived, trial. New counsel then filed a motion for new trial. The motion
On direct appeal, the defendant is now represented by new counsel unaffiliated with either trial counsel or counsel who filed the motion for a new trial, and for the first time argues that his trial counsel’s failure to challenge a juror for cause or to exercise a peremptory challenge after that juror was seated amounts to ineffective assistance of counsel. In addition to his claim that trial counsel failed to challenge a racially biased and severely hearing impaired juror, the defendant also claims that trial counsel failed to offer a defense at trial, failed to argue the motion for a required finding of not guilty, and arrived late for court proceedings. We now consider the question whether the defendant, having not advanced ineffective assistance as a ground for a new trial in the one motion that his previous counsel did file, has waived the issue on this direct appeal. Under the circumstances here, we hold that he has not waived the claim.
Our review poses the intersection of two principles. First, reflecting the fact-intensive nature of the inquiry, our courts have long ruled that, as a general matter, in order to preserve and advance for appellate review a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, a defendant should in the first instance file “a motion for a new trial accompanied by affidavits, with the potential for an evidentiary hearing and findings, . . . [to] permit[] us intelligently to measure defense counsel’s performance under the standard of Commonwealth v. Saferian,
The second principle is that “[ujnder art. 12 of the Declaration of Rights of the Massachusetts Constitution, a defendant possesses the right to be represented by effective counsel, Commonwealth v. Fuller,
Our courts have had occasion to consider the intersection of these two principles. Recognizing that “[i]t would be unrealistic to expect [the defendant’s] first attorney to have raised a claim calling his own competence into question,” Commonwealth v. Lanoue,
We are thus presented here with a variation on a familiar theme. Although the factual circumstances in this case are different — counsel from CPCS for the trial and different counsel from CPCS on the motion for new trial, with the ineffective assistance of counsel claim raised on direct appeal by a new attorney who was not affiliated with either prior counsel — the force of the reasoning of Lanoue and its progeny is no less compelling. Because the defendant was represented by counsel for CPCS both at trial and on the motion for new trial — and thus was deprived of “the benefit of a meaningful review by independent counsel of his claims of ineffective assistance of trial counsel,” Commonwealth v. Pike,
Notwithstanding the apparent shortcomings of trial counsel asserted in this appeal, we are unable to conclude from the record before us that the defendant is entitled to a new trial. The shortcomings remain only apparent at this point, and further fact finding is required to determine whether trial counsel’s management of the case was the result of deliberate practical choices not “manifestly unreasonable.” See Commonwealth v. Adams,
For the above-stated reasons and the reasons stated in the companion memorandum and order issued this day pursuant to rule 1:28, see Commonwealth v. Williams (No. 2), post 1108 (2007), the order denying the motion for a new trial is affirmed, and the matter is remanded for further fact finding consistent with this opinion and Commonwealth v. Williams (No. 2), supra. This court shall retain jurisdiction pending filing of the findings.
So ordered.
Notes
In his motion for new trial, the defendant sought reconsideration of the motion to suppress on the ground that the arresting officers did not have the authority to stop his vehicle. The judge denied the motion and ruled that the defendant waived the argument by not raising it in the motion to suppress, and that the officers had authority to stop the vehicle. For the reasons more fully set out in the companion memorandum and order issued this day pursuant to rule 1:28, see note 2, infra, the motion for a new trial was appropriately denied insofar as it sought reconsideration of the motion to suppress.
The defendant raises numerous other arguments that we consider in a memorandum and order pursuant to rule 1:28 also issued this day. Commonwealth v. Williams (No. 2), post 1108 (2007).
In order to prevail on his claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, the defendant must demonstrate that “there has been serious incompetency, inefficiency, or inattention of counsel . . . falling measurably below that which might be expected from an ordinary fallible lawyer” and that the attorney’s behavior “likely deprived [him] of an otherwise available, substantial ground of defence.” Commonwealth v. Nwachukwu,
We note that here, new appellate counsel should have filed a motion for new trial pursuant to Mass.R.Crim.P. 30(b), as appearing in
