Opinion ID: 40551
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: James Fortson

Text: O'Brien next argues this court should grant a COA because reasonable jurists could debate that defense counsel’s failure to call James Fortson, O’Brien’s step-grandfather, to testify during sentencing did not constitute ineffective assistance of counsel. O’Brien contends that evidence of Mr. Fortson’s mistreatment of him could have provided the foundation for a meaningful 17 mitigation case. O’Brien lived with Mr. Fortson, and O’Brien’s psychological evaluations indicate that Mr. Fortson was abusive and intentionally cruel toward O’Brien when he was child. However, the district court found that counsel’s decision not to call Mr. Fortson was a reasonable strategic decision. Dr. Aruffo’s psychiatric evaluation states that Mr. Fortson was cruel to O’Brien because he was “jealous of the boy.” Given Mr. Fortson’s reported hostile feelings toward O’Brien, counsel concluded that Mr. Fortson would not be a favorable witness to the defense. Mr. Fortson’s affidavit, that he submitted during the state habeas proceeding, states that he was never contacted by defense counsel regarding O’Brien’s childhood and that he would have liked to discuss his role in O’Brien’s life. However, Mr. Fortson’s affidavit does not indicate what the nature of his testimony would have been. Complaints based upon uncalled witnesses are disfavored because “speculations as to what these witnesses would have testified is too uncertain.” Alexander v. McCotter, 775 F.2d 595, 602 (5th Cir. 1985); see Evans v. Cockrell, 285 F.3d 370, 377 (5th Cir. 2002)(“[C]omplaints of uncalled witnesses are not favored in federal habeas corpus review because allegations of what the witness would have testified are largely speculative.”). Here, such uncertainty precludes the debatability of a finding of prejudice. 18