Opinion ID: 1327202
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Failure to Introduce Records

Text: We also conclude that Lee did not suffer constitutionally significant prejudice from his trial counsel's failure to introduce the State's mental health evaluation of Lee, the Charlton County school evaluation, and portions of Lee's school records at the sentencing phase, [9] because Dr. Grant, Lee's mother, and his former teacher provided testimony regarding his mental impairments, deprivation, and abuse. In addition, the State evaluation noted that Lee reported that he was asked to leave the Boys Ranch because of his behavior in school. This information would have undermined counsel's mitigation strategy to show that Lee succeeded at the Boys Ranch and, thus, would do well in the structured environment of a prison, and it also likely would have undermined the credibility of Lee's cottage mother, whom counsel testified, and our review of the trial transcript shows, was a strong mitigation witness for Lee. Further, the information contained in these documents is no more atrocious or adverse than that contained in the affidavit testimony, and, as discussed above, the omission of that testimony did not prejudice Lee.