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****************************************************** The ``officially released'' date that appears near the beginning of each opinion is the date the opinion will be published in the Connecticut Law Journal or the date it was released as a slip opinion. The operative date for the beginning of all time periods for filing postopinion motions and petitions for certification is the ``officially released'' date appearing in the opinion. In no event will any such motions be accepted before the ``officially released'' date. All opinions are subject to modification and technical correction prior to official publication in the Connecticut Reports and Connecticut Appellate Reports. In the event of discrepancies between the electronic version of an opinion and the print version appearing in the Connecticut Law Journal and subsequently in the Connecticut Reports or Connecticut Appellate Reports, the latest print version is to be considered authoritative. The syllabus and procedural history accompanying the opinion as it appears on the Commission on Official Legal Publications Electronic Bulletin Board Service and in the Connecticut Law Journal and bound volumes of official reports are copyrighted by the Secretary of the State, State of Connecticut, and may not be reproduced and distributed without the express written permission of the Commission on Official Legal Publications, Judicial Branch, State of Connecticut. ****************************************************** WENDELL MINNIFIELD v. COMMISSIONER OF CORRECTION (AC 20108)
Lavery, C. J., and Schaller and Hennessy, Js. Argued October 30, 2000--officially released February 27, 2001 Counsel

Katharine S. Goodbody, special public defender, for the appellant (petitioner). Robin S. Schwartz, special deputy assistant state's attorney, with whom, on the brief, were John A. Connelly, state's attorney, and Terence Mariani, assistant state's attorney, for the appellee (respondent).
Opinion

LAVERY, C. J. The petitioner, Wendell Minnifield, appeals from the judgment of the habeas court denying his amended petition for a writ of habeas corpus in which he alleged ineffective assistance of counsel. He claims that the court improperly determined that (1) his counsel's investigation prior to the petitioner's plea of guilty was not insufficient, (2) there was no basis for suppressing the confession of the petitioner, and counsel's decision not to file a motion to suppress the

confession did not prejudice the petitioner, and (3) counsel did not misinform the petitioner regarding his sentence. We affirm the judgment of the habeas court. The facts underlying the petitioner's arrest and claim of ineffective assistance of counsel are as follows. On June 21, 1995, the Waterbury police were called to investigate a motor vehicle accident and possible shooting. When they arrived, they found the victim, a thirty year old male, in the driver's seat of a vehicle that had struck a telephone pole, with a fatal gunshot wound to his left chest. Police later learned that the victim had been fighting with the petitioner's cousin. After the fight ended, the victim entered and remained inside his vehicle. The petitioner walked to the driver's side door and fired three shots at the victim, one of which entered his chest and resulted in his death. After the shooting, the victim tried to drive away, but sped into a telephone pole. The petitioner, age sixteen at the time, was arrested the following day. He was advised of his rights and confessed to the murder in a written statement to the police. On June 25, 1996, the petitioner, represented by attorney Jayne Kennedy, pleaded guilty to murder in the first degree in violation of General Statutes

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Connecticut Law