Opinion ID: 2100111
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 26

Heading: Failure to Challenge Credibility of Key Witnesses

Text: Benzel asserts that the district court erred in rejecting his claims that trial counsel provided ineffective assistance by failing to properly challenge the testimony of key prosecution witnesses including Christensen, Golle, and McCarthy. Benzel asserts, inter alia, (1) that the audiotape of Christensen's 911 call should have been used to confront Christensen with the fact that during the call she did not make the statements that Fastenau claimed to have heard, (2) that Christensen should have been asked questions about Atkinson's behavior before the shooting which Benzel asserts would have shown that Atkinson was the aggressor, and (3) that other evidence could have been used to discredit certain testimony by Golle and by McCarthy. The district court in this postconviction action generally determined that counsel made reasonable tactical and strategic decisions to not pursue the lines of questioning suggested by Benzel and noted that such questioning may have led to information adverse to Benzel. In determining whether trial counsel's performance was deficient, there is a strong presumption that such counsel acted reasonably. See State v. McHenry, 268 Neb. 219, 682 N.W.2d 212 (2004). When reviewing a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, an appellate court will not second-guess reasonable strategic decisions by counsel. Id. The district court did not err in its determination that trial counsel made reasonable strategic decisions to not pursue the lines of questioning suggested by Benzel in this postconviction proceeding. We therefore conclude that the district court did not err in rejecting these claims of ineffective assistance of counsel.