Gaston V. State

A jury found appellant, Lorie Brooks Gaston, guilty of possession of cocaine weighing more than one gram and less than four grams. *fn1 The jury found true the enhancement paragraph alleging a prior conviction for possession of cocaine and assessed appellant's punishment at 15 years in prison. We address whether appellant's trial counsel was ineffective because there was an actual conflict of interest stemming from his dual representation of appellant and her co-defendant and whether trial counsel rendered ineffective assistance of counsel by failing to sufficiently investigate in preparation for, and by offering no mitigating evidence during, the punishment phase. We affirm.