Opinion ID: 2178547
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Effective assistance of counsel on first application for postconviction relief.

Text: Sims asserts the matter of ineffective assistance of trial counsel was not thoroughly examined at his first postconviction hearing. His brief asserts: [H]is right to a fair hearing on the issue of ineffective assistance of trial counsel was denied by Mr. Martin's failure to demonstrate to the court wherein trial counsel's defense was so inadequate and ineffective so as to deny him a fair trial. Counsel was ineffective at the first post-conviction relief hearing because he neglected adequately to demonstrate that a farce and mockery of justice had occurred at the trial. Specifically, Sims alleges Martin was ineffective because he did not question Nadler concerning (1) Nadler's failure to call witnesses who could have testified concerning Sims' drinking habits, (2) his failure to call a psychiatrist or expert on alcoholism to testify regarding petitioner's alleged inability to form the requisite intent, (3) his failure to move to suppress a statement petitioner made to the police, and (4) his decision to rely upon police reports of physical evidence rather than to call his own ballistics expert. Sims further argues Martin should have called lawyer-witnesses to show what Nadler should have done. We are confronted with a threshold problem in considering these assertions. Apparently the full transcript of the first postconviction hearing was never offered as evidence in this proceeding, although the record indicates that transcript was before the trial court. The transcript of the current proceeding shows Sims called an attorney-witness who testified that in his opinion counsel's failure to investigate certain areas or to offer certain evidence would amount to ineffective assistance of trial counsel. He also testified that attorney Martin had the reputation of being a good attorney who prepared his cases thoroughly. Little or no evidence was offered on the issue of what constitutes ineffective assistance at a postconviction hearing, or whether Martin rendered ineffective services. He may have thought Nadler made strategic choices in presenting Sims' defense; Martin himself may thus have made a strategic decision not to raise the adequacy of Nadler's representation. See Kellogg, 288 N.W.2d at 564-65; State v. Cooper, 161 N.W.2d 728, 730 (Iowa 1968). Improvident trial strategy, miscalculated tactics, or mistakes in judgment do not necessarily amount to ineffective assistance. Hinkle, 290 N.W.2d at 31; State v. Killpack, 276 N.W.2d 368, 372 (Iowa 1979); Parsons v. Brewer, 202 N.W.2d 49, 54 (Iowa 1972). This principle applies to the services of both Nadler and Martin. In this proceeding Sims fails to demonstrate how additional investigation and trial strategy on Nadler's part would have provided more effective assistance. Thus we cannot conclude Martin was ineffective in allegedly failing to press these questions in the first proceeding. Sims similarly fails to demonstrate how the proffered testimony of Hickle, his employment supervisor, would have affected the trial outcome. The record here reflects that Hickle would have testified Sims was an habitual drunkard. Yet the appendix discloses that during his trial Sims wanted to discharge Nadler for telling the jury he was an habitual drunkard. This insight illustrates the hazards of playing Monday morning quarterback in these situations, and in not granting counsel the presumption that defense decisions are often based on factors which may seldom be so apparent in a cold record. As a matter of policy, if defense counsel must weigh every action on the scale of a potential subsequent ineffective counsel claim, making a self-supporting record, mingling the defense of his client with his own defensive maneuvering, in the end the client's case will suffer. Our limited view of Nadler's and Martin's activities must be taken in light of the simple, undisputed facts in this case, disclosed in our prior opinion and in this proceeding. Simplicity of issues . . . bear[s] on the question [of counsel's effectiveness]. State v. Massey, 207 N.W.2d 777, 780 (Iowa 1973) (citing De Roche v. United States, 337 F.2d 606, 608 (9th Cir. 1964)). Sims acknowledged he shot his victim through the bedroom door, and that they were mad at each other. State v. Sims, 239 N.W.2d at 553. There was little a trial counsel could do with those facts except to suggest his client stay off the witness stand, a course which would present its own dangers. Sims offers no rationale that might have justified employment of a ballistics expert. Nadler's direct examination of Sims apparently developed his various excuses and posthomicide remorse. Nadler introduced strong proof of Sims' intoxication and called a medical witness on the effect of that intoxication. There was no eyewitness to the shooting. The jury could have believed Sims' testimony that the gun discharged accidentally, and could have believed on this record he was too drunk to form the requisite intent for first-degree murder. The jury obviously did not believe him, and that was fatal to his case. Martin's efforts to show ineffective trial assistance necessarily were circumscribed by these facts. We hold that Sims has not established Martin's ineffectiveness at the first postconviction hearing by a preponderance of the evidence.