Title: Deaton v. Dugger
Citation: 635 So. 2d 4
Docket Number: 73035, 77274
State: Florida
Issuer: Florida Supreme Court
Date: October 7, 1993

635 So. 2d 4 (1993)
Jason Thomas DEATON, Petitioner,
v.
Richard L. DUGGER, etc., Respondent.
Jason Thomas DEATON, Appellant/Cross-Appellee,
v.
STATE of Florida, Appellee/Cross-Appellant.
Nos. 73035, 77274.

Supreme Court of Florida.
October 7, 1993.
Rehearings Denied February 24 and May 2, 1994.
*5 Michael J. Minerva, Interim Capital Collateral Representative, Martin J. McClain, Chief Asst. CCR, Office of the Capital Collateral Representative, Tallahassee, and Billy H. Nolas and Julie D. Naylor, Sp. Appointed CCR, Ocala, for petitioner, appellant/cross-appellee.
Robert A. Butterworth, Atty. Gen., Diane Leeds and Joan Fowler, Asst. Attys. Gen., West Palm Beach, and Anita J. Gay, Asst. Atty. Gen., Miami, for respondent, appellee/cross-appellant.
PER CURIAM.
Jason Thomas Deaton appeals the denial of his Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.850 motion for postconviction relief as to his conviction for first-degree murder and petitions this Court for a writ of habeas corpus.[1] The State cross-appeals the trial court's grant of rule 3.850 relief as to Deaton's sentence of death and direction that a new penalty proceeding be conducted. We have jurisdiction. Art. V, § 3(b)(1), (9), Fla. Const. For the reasons expressed, we deny the petition for writ of habeas corpus, affirm the denial of the rule 3.850 motion as to Deaton's conviction, affirm the granting of the rule 3.850 motion as to Deaton's sentence, and remand this cause for a new sentencing proceeding in accordance with the trial court's judgment.
Deaton was convicted and sentenced to death for first-degree murder. Testimony at trial revealed that Deaton and Kerry Hall conspired to abduct and murder the victim in order to obtain the victim's car and money. After the two had abducted the victim, Deaton strangled the victim with an electrical cord and placed the body in the trunk of the victim's car. Deaton and Hall, along with three teenage girls, then drove the car to Tennessee, where Deaton and Hall dumped the body in a well. Police subsequently spotted the victim's car and arrested Deaton and Hall, after which, in separate trials, both were found guilty of murder and Deaton was sentenced to death.
In Deaton v. State, 480 So. 2d 1279 (Fla. 1985), we affirmed Deaton's conviction and sentence. Deaton subsequently filed a rule 3.850 motion before the trial court and a petition for writ of habeas corpus with this Court. In the meantime, the governor signed a death warrant, which was stayed by the trial court pending an evidentiary hearing on the 3.850 motion. After the evidentiary hearing, the trial court denied relief as to Deaton's conviction, but granted relief as to Deaton's sentence.
In seeking relief as to his conviction, Deaton alleges that: (1) the jury should have been given an instruction regarding jurisdiction as an element of the crime for which he was charged; (2) Deaton's counsel was ineffective because he failed to adequately investigate and prepare Deaton's defense and because he had a conflict of interest; (3) Deaton did not receive an adequate mental health examination; (4) Deaton was, in all likelihood, incompetent and should not have been allowed to stand trial; (5) the exclusion of taped statements made by codefendant Hall deprived Deaton of the right to present a self-defense defense; (6) Deaton's counsel was ineffective for failing to effectively litigate the suppression of statements made by Deaton; and (7) certain evidence that the State introduced was inadmissable and prejudicial. Deaton also raises a number of issues regarding the penalty phase proceeding in the event we find that the State's cross-appeal has merit.
In his first claim, Deaton contends that one of the factual issues at trial was whether the victim was killed in Florida or Tennessee and that the State had to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the crime was committed within the jurisdiction of Florida. According to Deaton, the jury was incorrectly instructed that venue had to be proved to a reasonable certainty when the jury should have been instructed that jurisdiction had to be established beyond a reasonable doubt. He additionally asserts that this issue is not procedurally barred because jurisdiction cannot *6 be waived and that his counsel was ineffective in failing to request an instruction on jurisdiction.
The State, on the other hand, asserts that jurisdiction was not an element that needed to be proved in this case, that jurisdiction was not raised as a defense, that an instruction on jurisdiction was not requested, and that no such instruction was necessary. Moreover, the State contends that this issue is procedurally barred because it should have been raised on direct appeal. In any event, the State asserts that the failure to receive an instruction on jurisdiction was harmless because sufficient evidence exists within the record to show beyond a reasonable doubt that the killing was done or begun in Florida.
In Lane v. State, 388 So. 2d 1022 (Fla. 1980), we discussed the principles of jurisdiction when a factual question exists as to whether or not a crime was committed in Florida. There we stated:
388 So. 2d  at 1028. Additionally, we noted that the issue of jurisdiction is a factual one to be determined by a jury upon appropriate instruction, and we adopted the majority view that territorial jurisdiction must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt rather than by a preponderance of the evidence.
Under the facts in Lane, the State conceded its inability to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that the fatal blow was struck in Florida, and the evidence indicated that the fatal blow or blows were probably struck in Alabama. However, the State argued that the evidence indicated that the crime was commenced in Florida. Although, as noted above, we did find that commencement in Florida was sufficient to support jurisdiction in Florida, under the facts in Lane, we found that the jury instructions given regarding jurisdiction were too general and that the jury must be given specific instructions regarding jurisdiction. Consequently, we remanded the case for a new trial.
In this case, a factual issue was presented as to whether the murder occurred in Tennessee or Florida. Deaton argued that the murder occurred in Tennessee as a result of self-defense. No instruction, however, was requested or given regarding jurisdiction. Instead, defense counsel requested and the jury received Florida Standard Jury Instruction (Crim.) 3.03 on venue:
*7 The State is obligated to prove the court's jurisdiction over the defendant. Lane. Upon the request of the defendant, the court should instruct the jury on jurisdiction when the evidence is in conflict on the issue. However, because no such instruction was requested and there was substantial evidence that the criminal acts at issue except the actual disposal of the body were done or begun in Florida, no error occurred in this case. Even though counsel's failure to request an instruction on jurisdiction could be characterized as ineffective, the evidence was such that if an instruction had been given, there is not a reasonable probability that the result would have been different. See Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 104 S. Ct. 2052, 80 L. Ed. 2d 674 (1984). Therefore, we reject this claim.
In his second claim, Deaton argues that his trial counsel was ineffective because counsel failed to adequately investigate and prepare a proper defense and because counsel placed himself in a position of conflict. During Deaton's trial, his counsel was advised of two witnesses who were willing to testify that they had seen the victim alive in Tennessee after the date on which the victim was purportedly murdered. Additionally, codefendant Hall contacted Deaton's counsel and provided him with a taped statement in which Hall stated that Deaton had killed the victim in self-defense. Based on these facts, Deaton contends that his counsel was ineffective for failing to discover this information before trial and for failing to secure the admission of the tape at trial. Deaton also argues that, by taking the taped statement from Hall, counsel placed himself in the position of a witness, which created a conflict under the Florida Rules of Professional Responsibility. We disagree. As noted by the trial judge in denying relief as to this claim:
Moreover, as reflected by the record, counsel did interview the two Tennessee witnesses (codefendant Hall's mother and aunt) before trial and neither indicated anything about seeing the victim alive in Tennessee at that time. As to any purported conflict, because the tape was inadmissible hearsay, Deaton's counsel was never placed in the position of having to testify.
Likewise, we reject Deaton's fourth claim regarding his competency to stand trial. Deaton's own mental health expert found him to be competent at the time of trial and that expert reiterated that position at the evidentiary hearing. Further, the record supports such a finding.
The remainder of Deaton's claims as to his conviction are either procedurally barred or without merit. See Johnson v. State, 593 So. 2d 206 (Fla.) (issues that could have been raised on direct appeal but were not, are noncognizable claims through collateral attack), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 113 S. Ct. 119, 121 L. Ed. 2d 75 (1992); Smith v. State, 445 So. 2d 323 (Fla. 1983) (same), cert. denied, 467 U.S. 1220, 104 S. Ct. 2671, 81 L. Ed. 2d 375 (1984). See also Medina v. State, 573 So. 2d 293 (Fla. 1990) (rule 3.850 proceedings are not to be used as a second appeal and it is inappropriate to use a different argument when seeking postconviction relief to relitigate issues previously disposed of).
Given our disposition of this case as to the State's cross-appeal as discussed below, we find that we need not reach the remaining issues raised by Deaton regarding alleged errors at his sentencing proceeding.
The State argues that the trial judge erred in setting aside Deaton's sentence and in ordering a new sentencing proceeding. In *8 setting aside Deaton's sentence, the trial judge stated:
The State argues that the trial judge applied the wrong standard in finding that the evidence presented by Deaton would not "necessarily have been beneficial to his cause." According to the State, under Strickland, the trial judge should have considered whether there was a reasonable probability that, absent the errors, the balance of the aggravating and mitigating circumstances did not warrant death. The State argues that, had the trial judge used the appropriate standard, the aggravating circumstances would still warrant the death penalty under the evidence presented at the evidentiary hearing. The State also contends that it was Deaton and his family, rather than ineffective assistance of counsel, who prevented counsel from presenting mitigating evidence at trial.
In Strickland, the United States Supreme Court found that, to establish a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, a defendant must demonstrate that counsel's performance was deficient and that, because of that deficient performance, the defendant was prejudiced. Generally, prejudice is established by a finding that, but for the ineffective assistance of counsel, a reasonable probability exists that the outcome of the proceeding would have been different, or that, as a result of the ineffective assistance the proceeding was rendered fundamentally unfair.
In this case, the trial judge found that Deaton had waived the right to testify and the right to call witnesses to present evidence in mitigation, but concluded that, because his counsel failed to adequately investigate mitigation, Deaton's waiver of those rights was not knowing, voluntary, and intelligent. The rights to testify and to call witnesses are fundamental rights under our state and federal constitutions. Although we have held that a trial court need not necessarily conduct a Faretta[2] type inquiry in determining the validity of any waiver of those rights to present mitigating evidence,[3] clearly, the record must support a finding that such a waiver was knowingly, voluntarily, and intelligently made. See, e.g., Henry v. State, 613 So. 2d 429 (Fla. 1992).
In this case, no evidence whatsoever was presented to the jury in mitigation and the trial judge found only one mitigating factor, even though evidence presented at the rule 3.850 evidentiary hearing established that a number of mitigating circumstances existed. Further, clear evidence was presented that defense counsel did not properly investigate and prepare for the penalty phase proceeding. At the evidentiary hearing, the following colloguy took place between Deaton's postconviction counsel ["Q"] and Deaton's trial counsel ["A"]:
In view of this testimony and other substantial evidence presented at the postconviction hearing, including the testimony of two mental health experts, we believe that counsel's shortcomings were sufficiently serious to have deprived Deaton of a reliable penalty phase proceeding. Consequently, under the circumstances of this case, we must find that Deaton's counsel was ineffective and that such ineffective assistance was prejudicial.
Accordingly, we deny the petition for writ of habeas corpus, we affirm the denial of the rule 3.850 motion as to Deaton's conviction, we affirm the granting of the rule 3.850 motion as to Deaton's sentence, and we remand this cause for a new sentencing proceeding.
It is so ordered.
BARKETT, C.J., and OVERTON, McDONALD, SHAW, GRIMES, KOGAN and HARDING, JJ., concur.
[1]  Most of the issues raised in the habeas petition duplicate those in Deaton's 3.850 appeal, and we have consolidated the 3.850 appeal and the habeas petition for purposes of this appeal.
[2]  Faretta v. California, 422 U.S. 806, 95 S. Ct. 2525, 45 L. Ed. 2d 562 (1975).
[3]  See Anderson v. State, 574 So. 2d 87 (Fla.), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 112 S. Ct. 114, 116 L. Ed. 2d 83 (1991).