Opinion ID: 38097
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Failure to Call Character Witnesses

Text: 9 Harris argued in his motion for habeas relief that his counsel was constitutionally ineffective in calling only one witness on his behalf—Gary Pounders 5 —and failing to call several witnesses who were in the courtroom and ready to testify. 6 While none of the potential witnesses saw the altercation with Lopez, Harris asserts they would all testify that Harris was honest, of good moral character, and was not bigoted against Mexicans or otherwise racist. In its order granting habeas relief, the district court reasoned that because the evidence regarding how Lopez suffered his head injuries was close (between banging his head against the plexiglass or Harris's baton), 7 the government's evidence painting the defendant as a racist was important to its case against Harris, and therefore critical in determining whether ineffective assistance occurred. The district court concluded that Williams's failure to call these witnesses to rebut the government's charges of racism constituted ineffective assistance as that term is defined in the case law. 10 Because deciding whether to call witnesses is a strategic trial decision, this Court has held that complaints of uncalled witness are disfavored as a source of Strickland habeas review. See Buckley v. Collins, 904 F.2d 263, 266 (5th Cir.1990); Murray v. Maggio, 736 F.2d 279, 282 (5th Cir.1984) (citing Boyd v. Estelle, 661 F.2d 388, 390 (5th Cir.1981)). We hold that Williams's decision not to call these witnesses was not objectively unreasonable for various reasons. First, none of the witnesses would have been able to testify to anything relevant to Harris's guilt or innocence. In order to convict Harris, the jury had to find that his acts either (1) resulted in bodily injury to Lopez or (2) involved the use of a dangerous weapon. Williams, faced with this charge, had to make a strategic choice in which witnesses he would call. Other than Pounders, only one witness with any direct knowledge of the incident, Bethune, could testify regarding blood on the plexiglass. There was already testimony and evidence on this point, and Bethune's additional testimony would do nothing to counter the ample evidence that Harris had used a dangerous weapon. Also, if called, Bethune would have likely been questioned about Harris's wetback statement (which Bethune overheard), something that Williams understandably wanted to avoid. Therefore, Williams's decision to not call Bethune was not objectively unreasonable. Further, even if Williams objectively should have called Bethune, Harris was not prejudiced because the government could have convicted him with the ample evidence that he used a dangerous weapon. 8 11 Harris argues that the failure to call the character witnesses was objectively unreasonable because the government's case was built on Harris's alleged racism, and therefore the character evidence to rebut the allegations was important. We disagree. Harris was not charged with a hate crime, and animus toward Mexican-Americans was not an element of the charged offense. It is true that the government did rely somewhat on the evidence of Harris's apparent racism in its case against Harris, but this reliance was relatively insignificant to the offense charged. The evidence of racist remarks Harris allegedly made to the FBI agent, the EMT, and to the police dispatcher was used by the government to buttress its claim that Harris's conduct was willful. However, the government had ample additional evidence to establish willfulness. In its closing argument, the government stated to the jury that in determining whether Harris intended to use excessive force against Lopez, it should first try to infer Harris's intent from his conduct, that is: beating a handcuffed man in the head with a nightstick. The government then asked the jury to consider that Harris asked other officers to bring their night sticks even though there was no indication that there would be serious trouble. Next the government pointed to Harris's boastful statements to other officers following the incident. Finally, the government pointed to his derogatory statements about Mexicans as evidence of willfulness. Evidence of Harris's racist comments was certainly not a cornerstone of the government's case against him. It was not objectively unreasonable for defense counsel to fail to call character witnesses to rebut the allegations of racism. We credit the government's argument that any character testimony that Harris was an honest person could lead the jury to think his racist comments were a reflection of his true feelings. Furthermore, cross-examination would have allowed the government to further emphasize the undeniable fact that Harris made racist slurs against Mexicans in a callous manner and on more than one occasion. Finally, we note that even if counsel should have called these witnesses, we are unconvinced that the outcome of the trial would have been different had the jury heard this evidence of peripheral relevance. 12 Harris was not deprived of effective assistance of counsel by Williams's decision to omit Bethune's testimony, which was at least somewhat relevant to whether Lopez's injuries were caused by Harris's acts or Lopez's head-banging. Because other witnesses had testified that there was a large amount of blood on the plexiglass, Bethune's testimony would have been merely cumulative. This Court has previously refused to allow the omission of cumulative testimony to amount to ineffective assistance of counsel. Murray, 736 F.2d at 282. Williams's decision to decline to call Bethune is even more reasonable considering that Bethune heard Harris's wetback comment, something Williams likely knew the government would elicit on cross-examination. This Court has recognized that the value of character witnesses must be assessed on a basis which assumed that they would testify favorably to [the defendant's] character. Gray v. Lucas, 677 F.2d 1086, 1094 (5th Cir.1982). The decision to limit the defense's case to the sole eye witness (Pounders) who could refute the government's evidence on the merits, while declining to call witnesses with cumulative and irrelevant testimony does not amount to ineffective assistance under Strickland. The district court erred in finding that the failure to call these witnesses amounted to ineffective assistance under Strickland and in granting Harris habeas relief. 13