Post Conviction Claims Are Untimely And Thus Frivolous

Brocks v. State, Minn.S.Ct., 8/10/2016.  In this his fourth post conviction petition Mr. Brocks argued that his right to effective assistance of counsel had been violated because his attorney had a conflict of interest.  The post conviction court summarily denied the petition, saying that it was untimely under the limitations provision of the post conviction statute, and that it did not satisfy the "interests of justice" exception to those limitations provisions. In the alternative, the post conviction court said that the petition was barred under Knaffla, including the statutory adoption of the Knaffla rules.

Chief Justice Gildea points out that Mr. Brocks' petition was filed well past the two year limitations period and so he stays in court only if one of the exceptions applies.  Mr. Brocks claimed that the "interests of justice" exception applied but the Chief rejects that assertion.  The petition does not satisfy the "interests of justice" exception because it is procedurally barred.  Mr. Brocks raised the claim presented here both in his direct appeal and in her first post conviction appeal.  Mr. Brocks did not raise either of the Knaffla exceptions, the continued viability of which the court continues to dodge, and so he has forfeited any claim that either exception applies.