Opinion ID: 2548767
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Trial Counsel at Guilt Phase

Text: ¶ 30 Kell's Amended Petition raised numerous claims that trial counsel was ineffective during the guilt phase of the trial. Kell attempts to demonstrate ineffective assistance by going through each of his claims and stating that the failure of counsel to act in each situation was per se deficient and per se caused prejudice under the Strickland standard. ¶ 31 For sixteen of Kell's claims, [9] Kell apparently relies solely on a theory of per se deficiency and per se prejudice to illustrate counsel's ineffective performance. But Kell fails to cite to any authority to show that this court should presume counsel's failure to act was per se deficient or per se prejudicial. Additionally, Kell fails to point to any objective standard of reasonableness to show that counsel's performance was deficient and fails to show prejudice by illustrating how the outcome of the trial would have been different if not for counsel's alleged unprofessional errors. ¶ 32 The Supreme Court of the United States does recognize certain circumstances where ineffective assistance of counsel and prejudice are presumed. United States v. Cronic, 466 U.S. 648, 658, 104 S.Ct. 2039, 80 L.Ed.2d 657 (1984). Such circumstances include (1) when there is a complete denial of counsel, (2) when counsel entirely fails to subject the prosecution's case to meaningful adversarial testing, and (3) when it is unlikely that any attorney could provide effective assistance [10] under the circumstances. Id. at 659-60, 104 S.Ct. 2039. The first and third circumstances are not raised here. With respect to the second circumstance, the Court in Bell v. Cone noted that failing to challenge the prosecution at specific points of its case is not considered an entire failure to subject the prosecution's case to meaningful adversarial testing and is insufficient to warrant a finding of presumed prejudice. 535 U.S. 685, 697, 122 S.Ct. 1843, 152 L.Ed.2d 914 (2002). ¶ 33 In this case, Kell's counsel did not entirely fail to challenge the prosecution's case; rather, counsel challenged the prosecution's case throughout the proceedings by filing numerous pretrial motions, examining witnesses at the preliminary hearing, questioning prospective jurors, and presenting extensive evidence during the guilt phase. Such actions by counsel do not constitute an entire failure to challenge the prosecution's case. ¶ 34 Because Kell failed to show that the circumstances surrounding his case justified a presumption of ineffective assistance of counsel, Kell cannot rely entirely on claims of per se deficiency and per se prejudice. Instead, Kell must meet both prongs of the Strickland test by illustrating how his trial counsel's performance at the guilt phase fell below an objective standard of reasonableness and how his trial counsel's alleged ineffective assistance at the guilt phase adversely influenced the outcome of his case. Kell failed to offer any evidence suggesting that his counsel's alleged failures meet these requirements. Thus, Kell failed to overcome the strong presumption that counsel's assistance was reasonable, and we reject Kell's claims of ineffective assistance of counsel at the guilt phase. ¶ 35 For the remainder of Kell's claims of ineffective assistance of counsel at the guilt phase, [11] Kell cites to several objective standards of reasonableness, including American Bar Association guidelines and case law, but fails to offer evidence to illustrate how counsel violated these standards. Additionally, Kell fails to show how he was prejudiced at trial by counsel's alleged deficient performance, apparently relying on an assertion of per se prejudice. Indeed, while Kell states that both prongs of the Strickland test are met, he offers no analysis to support this statement and fails to mention the element of prejudice at all. ¶ 36 Because the Strickland test requires that a defendant establish both deficiency of counsel and prejudice, Kell's claims of ineffective assistance of counsel at the guilt phase fail because Kell establishes neither. We accordingly affirm the post-conviction court's grant of summary judgment in favor of the State on these claims.