Opinion ID: 3134392
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Ill 2d 465, 491 (1995); People v. Mahaffey, 165 Ill. 2d 445, 467-

Text: 68 (1995); People v. Jones, 144 Ill. 2d 242, 272-73 (1991). Further supporting our conclusion that counsel was not deficient is the conflict that this evidence could have created with the defendant's trial testimony, in which the defendant attempted to establish that he was guilty only of second degree murder, a noncapital offense. See People v. Holman, 164 Ill. 2d 356, 373 (1995); People v. Kokoraleis, 159 Ill. 2d 325, 330-31 (1994). Testimony given by a defendant at trial can profoundly influence the range of strategic options available to counsel at a subsequent sentencing hearing. In the present case, the defendant testified at trial that he prepared the ropes used to bind the victims and that he fired the shots that killed two of the victims and injured a third. The defendant sought to explain these actions by attributing his conduct to passion and emotion. Consistent with the defendant's trial testimony, counsel's strategy at the sentencing hearing was to demonstrate that the present crimes were anomalous events in the defendant's life. In closing argument at the second stage of the sentencing hearing, counsel argued that the defendant would not pose a threat to others if he received a sentence of life imprisonment, which in this case was the only alternative to the death sentence. Defense counsel continued with this theme by characterizing the offenses as products of passion and emotion, unlikely to be repeated in the future. Counsel noted further that the defendant had previously led a peaceful, law-abiding life. In addition, counsel emphasized the defendant's ambition, his exemplary work history, and his devotion to family members and friends. In sum, defense counsel, after sufficient investigation, employed a coherent strategy at the sentencing hearing, and we do not believe that counsel was ineffective in failing to take the course now suggested by the defendant. Unlike post-conviction cases raising similar allegations of incompetence in which this court has found an evidentiary hearing or a new sentencing hearing to be warranted (see People v. Orange, 168 Ill. 2d 138 (1995); People v. Thompkins, 161 Ill. 2d 148 (1994); People v. Perez, 148 Ill. 2d 168 (1992)), there did not exist in this case a substantial amount of mitigation that counsel ignored or inexplicably failed to introduce. Even if we assume that the performance of the defendant's trial attorneys was deficient in this regard, however, we do not believe that the defendant suffered any prejudice as a consequence. Assessing potential prejudice of an asserted deficiency in counsel's performance at a capital sentencing hearing requires that we examine the effect of counsel's conduct on the sentencer's decision. People v. Sanchez, 169 Ill. 2d 472, 491 (1996); People v. Ashford, 168 Ill. 2d 494, 505 (1995); People v. Coleman, 168 Ill. 2d 509, 536 (1995). The relevant question here is whether there is a reasonable probability that, absent the errors, the sentencer--including an appellate court, to the extent it independently reweighs the evidence--would have concluded that the balance of aggravating and mitigating circumstances did not warrant death. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 695, 80 L. Ed. 2d at 698, 104 S. Ct. at 2069. With these considerations in mind, we do not believe that the present defendant was prejudiced by his trial attorneys' failure to obtain and introduce evidence of this nature. Although the jury heard substantial evidence in mitigation--including the testimony of 12 defense witnesses who testified to the defendant's good characteristics, his helpfulness to others, and his loyalty to his family and friends--together with evidence of the role that passion and emotion played in the commission of these offenses, the jury still decided that death was the appropriate punishment in this case. The jury's decision to impose the death penalty in the face of this evidence suggests that the additional evidence proposed by the defendant would not likely have altered the jury's determination. See People v. Holman, 164 Ill. 2d 356, 373-74 (1995). The jury's decision stemmed in large part from the facts and circumstances of the present crimes, not from the absence of evidence that the defendant was mentally or emotionally disturbed. As we have already noted, evidence of extreme mental and emotional disturbance has a dual nature and can be viewed as either aggravating or mitigating by the sentencer, and we do not believe that further inquiry into the defendant's mental condition would have resulted in imposition of a different sentence. B The defendant next argues that trial counsel was ineffective for pursuing what the defendant believes was a fundamentally flawed and untenable defense at trial, and for permitting the defendant to testify in support of that theory. Specifically, the defendant contends that counsel should not have attempted to establish that the defendant was guilty of second degree murder, for the defendant believes that the evidence in this case was clearly inadequate to support either form of that offense. The defendant notes that the trial judge refused to instruct the jury on either form, a decision that this court upheld on appeal. Tenner, 157 Ill. 2d at 370-74. Res judicata and waiver would normally preclude our consideration of this challenge to trial counsel's performance, for these same questions could have been raised on appeal from the defendant's conviction and sentence. A related issue was, in fact, raised on direct appeal, when the defendant argued that trial counsel was ineffective for acknowledging in opening statement at the guilt-innocence phase of the proceedings that the defendant prepared the rope restraints and fired shots at the victims; appellate counsel then contended that the combination of counsel's concession with the instructions given to the jury, including instructions for felony murder, made a conviction for first degree murder automatic. This court rejected the defendant's challenge to counsel's performance, concluding that the trial attorneys were not ineffective in this respect. Tenner, 157 Ill. 2d at 374-78. Because the defendant also contends here that appellate counsel was ineffective in failing to challenge trial counsel's selection of this trial strategy, we believe that it is appropriate to consider the question on its merits. Discussing trial counsel's acknowledgment that the defendant performed the acts constituting the basis for the charged offenses, we stated on direct appeal: In the present case, counsel was attempting to show that the defendant was acting under a mitigating mental state that would have reduced the severity of the homicides from first degree murder to second degree murder. `It is not at all unusual for a defendant facing a murder charge to argue that he is guilty instead of a less serious offense, such as voluntary manslaughter. [Citations.]' (People v. Page (1993), 155 Ill. 2d 232, 262.) Because the defendant's own testimony corresponded to the statements made by defense counsel, we must assume that the defendant consented to this strategy. Tenner, 157 Ill. 2d at 376. These same considerations are pertinent here in assessing counsel's choice of a defense strategy. The State had overwhelming proof of the defendant's commission of the acts involved here, including the testimony of two persons present throughout the offenses. Given the strength of that evidence, counsel could have reasonably concluded that the best option was to attempt to portray the defendant's conduct as the result of sudden and intense passion resulting from provocation or an unreasonable belief in the need for self-defense, which, under either theory, would establish second degree murder. Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 38, pars. 9-- 2(a)(1), (a)(2). That the trial judge ultimately refused to instruct the jury on either form of second degree murder does not demonstrate that counsel acted unreasonably in pursuing this line of defense. Nor can it be said that the presentation of this theory was useless. By portraying the defendant's actions as the result of provocation or an unreasonable belief in self-defense, counsel could attempt to evoke sympathy for the defendant in the minds of the jurors, which might possibly have led to imposition of a sentence other than death. For these reasons, we do not believe that trial counsel was deficient in this choice of strategy, or that the defendant was prejudiced by it. C The defendant also contends that trial counsel was ineffective for not objecting to some 10 instances of allegedly improper comments by the prosecution in closing argument at the conclusion of the second stage of the capital sentencing hearing. Again, principles of res judicata and waiver would normally preclude our consideration of these objections. Because the defendant also argues that appellate counsel was ineffective for failing to challenge trial counsel's performance in this regard, however, we will address this issue on its merits. It is well established that appellate counsel is not required to raise every conceivable issue on appeal. Jones v. Barnes, 463 U.S. 745, 751-53, 77 L. Ed. 2d 987, 993-94, 103 S. Ct. 3308, 3312-13 (1983); People v. Collins, 153 Ill. 2d 130, 140 (1992); People v. Ruiz, 132 Ill. 2d 1, 18 (1989); People v. Frank, 48 Ill. 2d 500, 505 (1971). Experienced advocates since time beyond memory have emphasized the importance of winnowing out weaker arguments on appeal and focusing on one central issue if possible, or at most on a few key issues. Jones, 463 U.S. at 751- 52, 77 L. Ed. 2d at 994, 103 S. Ct. at 3313. Although in capital cases the number of issues raised on appeal customarily exceeds a few, counsel cannot possibly--and competently--argue every issue imaginable. Page limits and time constraints will both influence appellate counsel's choice of issues, requiring the attorney to exercise judgment in selecting from the potential claims of error that may be asserted on appeal. We are satisfied in the present case that appellate counsel did not unreasonably fail to raise on appeal the instances of allegedly improper argument cited by the defendant in his post- conviction petition. Our conclusion is confirmed by an examination of the remarks in question. We have examined the comments cited by the defendant and, without reproducing the full text of each of those comments here, we do not believe that appellate counsel was ineffective for failing to challenge these comments on appeal, or that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to register contemporaneous objections to these remarks. In the series of comments challenged here, the defendant maintains that the prosecutor improperly referred to the victims' families, stated that the defendant had dragged in mitigating witnesses, advised the jurors that, under their oaths, they were to judge the defendant by his vicious acts, referred to hearsay evidence that the defendant had tortured a girlfriend several times over a period of several years, and stated that the defendant had slashed and slaughtered a girlfriend on another occasion. In addition, the defendant contends that the prosecutor improperly speculated that the defendant planned the offenses in advance, suggested that the defendant sought out female victims, expressed a personal belief that the defendant should receive the death sentence, told the jury to act on behalf of the victims in this case, and suggested that the defense was concealing a witness. The defendant argues that the preceding remarks were not supported by the evidence, prevented the jury from considering the mitigating evidence offered by the defense, and were otherwise improper and prejudicial. On direct appeal, appellate counsel challenged four portions of the prosecution's argument, including two of the comments raised by the defendant here. This court rejected these objections, finding that the remarks either were either proper or did not warrant reversal. Tenner, 157 Ill. 2d at 382-86. We do not believe that appellate counsel was ineffective for failing to raise the additional remarks cited by the defendant in this post- conviction proceeding. Trial counsel failed to object to 9 of the 10 comments raised here, and on direct appeal our review therefore would have been limited in those instances in which no timely objection was made, allowing a consideration only of whether the asserted impropriety rose to the level of plain error (134 Ill. 2d R. 615(a)), or whether trial counsel was ineffective for failing to make an objection. We believe that the comments cited here were fair inferences from the evidence or were not so egregious as to constitute plain error, or that trial counsel's failure to object to the remarks did not constitute ineffective assistance. We note, too, that the sentencing jury heard the evidence in the case, that the comments complained of were scattered through a lengthy argument, and that the jury was properly instructed on the purpose of closing argument. D In his final challenge to the performance of trial counsel, the defendant argues that counsel was ineffective for failing to comply with the discovery rules applicable to criminal cases. The defendant maintains that evidence supporting his theory of self-defense was excluded by the trial judge because defense counsel had violated Supreme Court Rule 413(d) (134 Ill. 2d R. 413(a)) by not disclosing to the prosecution that that defense would be raised at trial. Because of counsel's failure to meet the requirements of the rule, the trial judge sustained the State's objection to counsel's assertion in opening statement that the defendant acted in fear of the victims. The defendant believes that trial counsel's error effectively denied him the right to present a part of his defense to the jury. Principles of res judicata and waiver would normally preclude our consideration of this issue. The same evidence now offered by the defendant in support of this contention was available on direct appeal, and a related issue was even raised at that time. Without challenging the competency of the defendant's trial attorneys, appellate counsel argued then that the trial judge improperly limited the presentation of the theory of defense in ruling that counsel could not mention, in opening statement, the defendant's alleged fear of the victims. We did not rule on that contention on direct appeal, however, concluding that the trial judge's correct refusal of instructions on second degree murder made the question moot. Tenner, 157 Ill. 2d at 374. Because we did not previously rule on this matter, and because the defendant now frames the issue as one involving the ineffective assistance of both trial counsel and appellate counsel, we will consider the question here. Assuming that trial counsel was deficient in failing to comply with the requirements of Rule 413, we do not believe that the defendant was prejudiced by trial counsel's failure to provide timely notice of the anticipated defense. Notwithstanding the trial judge's initial ruling, the defendant was not actually precluded from presenting the self-defense theory at trial. As the State observes, the defendant stated repeatedly in his testimony at trial that he was scared, afraid, or in fear of the victims and acted in response to their perceived threats. Defense counsel succeeded in making the same point in closing argument at trial. The State did not object to those portions of the defendant's testimony or counsel's argument. Although trial counsel was prevented from raising the theory in opening statement, he was still able to introduce it through the defendant's testimony and in subsequent argument to the jury. The trial judge later refused to instruct the jury on second degree murder and the defendant's claim that he acted from an unreasonable belief in the need for self- defense, but the reason for the judge's ruling was the inadequacy of the evidence offered in support of the theory, not counsel's failure to comply with the discovery mandate. The defendant was not prejudiced by counsel's failure to comply with the discovery rule.