APPELLATE COURT OPINIONS

Petitioner, Harold David Jones, appeals from the dismissal of his petition for post-conviction relief by the Circuit Court of Robertson County. Previously, he entered a nolo contendere plea to second degree murder and received a Range II sentence of 35 years. The following issues are presented for our review:

1. whether the petition was filed within the applicable statute oflimitations; and

2. whether the nolo contendere plea was the result of ineffective assistance of counsel.

We find no reversible error and AFFIRM the judgment of the trial court.

The pro se petitioner, William Lewis Howell, appeals the summary dismissal of his petition for post-conviction relief. The issue presented for review is whether the petition is barred by the statute of limitations. We affirm the dismissal pursuant to Rule 20, Tenn. Ct. Crim. App.

I agree that the conviction should be affirmed. Assault is not a lesser included or lesser grade offense of statutory rape. I disagree, however, with footnote 3 which suggests that a special request by the defendant for an instruction on a lesser offense would serve to amend the indictment. See State v. Leland Ray Reeves, No. 01C01-9711-CR-00515 (Tenn. Crim. App., at Nashville, Mar. 23, 1999).