Opinion ID: 1697772
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Admission of Figueroa's Taped Statement

Text: Second, Raleigh argues that he was prejudiced by defense counsel's failure to object to the State's introduction of Figueroa's taped statement on its redirect examination of police investigator Horzepa. As noted earlier, investigator Horzepa testified to a portion of the statement Figueroa made to him during defense counsel's cross-examination. On redirect, the State introduced the entirety of Figueroa's statement by playing the tape itself. When this statement was played, the jury heard Figueroa say that Raleigh directed him to shoot Eberlin. Raleigh claims that the statement cast doubt on [Raleigh's] veracity as a witness, strengthened the State's argument that the cold, calculated, and premeditated [CCP] aggravator applied, and weakened [his] mental health mitigation, particularly the under substantial domination of another mitigator. It is not clear whether Raleigh claims that defense counsel was ineffective for failing to object to the State's introduction of the entirety of Figueroa's statement or that defense counsel was ineffective for opening the door to the statement in the first instance. Thus, we address both aspects. We find that both arguments are without merit. If Raleigh's claim is that counsel was ineffective for failing to object to the State's admission of the entire statement on its redirect of investigator Horzepa, defense counsel cannot be deemed deficient for failing to make a meritless objection. Defense counsel introduced portions of Figueroa's statement during the cross-examination of investigator Horzepa. Once defense counsel opened the door, under the facts and circumstances of this case, the doctrine of completeness permitted the State to introduce the remainder of Figueroa's statement. See § 90.108(1), Fla. Stat. (1997) (When a writing or recorded statement or part thereof is introduced by a party, an adverse party may require him or her at that time to introduce any other part or any other writing or recorded statement that in fairness ought to be considered contemporaneously.); see also Thompson v. State, 648 So.2d 692, 695 (Fla.1994) (finding no error where defense counsel invited hearsay statements during questioning of state's witness). Therefore, defense counsel was not deficient for making a meritless objection. In its order, the trial court addressed the second aspect. It considered this claim to be that defense counsel was ineffective for opening the door to the introduction of Figueroa's entire statement by introducing a portion of Figueroa's statement during the cross-examination of investigator Horzepa. In denying this claim, the trial court found that this claim amounts to nothing more than disagreement with defense counsel's strategy and is insufficient in light of the testimony at the evidentiary hearing. This finding is supported by the record. The record establishes that defense counsel made an informed and reasoned, strategic decision to introduce Figueroa's taped statement after considering the alternatives. As summarized in the trial court's order, the testimony of defense counsel was that: [Defense counsel] did not want [Figueroa] to testify personally at [Raleigh's] penalty phase proceeding because they would not have any control over what he testified to. They believed his live testimony may have been more damaging than his recorded statement. Instead, they preferred that the statement come in because parts of it could be used to support Defendant's case, i.e., to show the control or influence [Figueroa] had over [Raleigh]. Thus, rather than call Figueroa to the stand, counsel decided to introduce the beneficial portions of Figueroa's statement through the cross-examination of investigator Horzepa. [S]trategic decisions do not constitute ineffective assistance of counsel if alternative courses have been considered and rejected and counsel's decision was reasonable under the norms of professional conduct. Stewart v. State, 801 So.2d 59, 65 (Fla.2001) (quoting Occhicone v. State, 768 So.2d 1037, 1048 (Fla.2000)). Reasonable strategic decisions of trial counsel should not be second-guessed by a reviewing court. Jones v. State, 845 So.2d 55, 65 (Fla.2003) (citing Strickland, 466 U.S. at 689-91, 104 S.Ct. 2052). Raleigh has not demonstrated that defense counsel's decision to introduce Figueroa's statement fell outside the norms of professional conduct. Therefore, we affirm the denial of this claim.