Opinion ID: 2184350
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Failure to Impeach the State Medical Examiner

Text: For his fourth point of substantive error, Greene contends that trial counsel was ineffective in failing to challenge the testimony of Dr. Malak concerning aspects of death. At his third sentencing hearing in 1998, the State used deposition testimony of Dr. Fahmy Malak taken in 1992. In Greene III this court held that Ark.Code Ann. § 5-4-616(a)(4) entitled the State to use the testimony. The substance of Greene's Rule 37 argument is that counsel was ineffective for failing to impeach Dr. Malak in light of other evidence that Dr. Malak had a history of controversial and inaccurate determinations. Greene adds that there is a reasonable probability that another examiner would have disagreed with Dr. Malak's conclusions. Nonetheless, neither Greene's Rule 37 petition, nor his argument on appeal identify a doctor that would have disagreed with Dr. Malak, or even the evidence that would indicate Dr. Malak's determinations were faulty and subject to different interpretation. When an allegation rests on whether a witness should have been called, it is incumbent on the petitioner to name the witness, provide a summary of the testimony, and establish that the testimony would have been admissible into evidence. Malone v. State, 294 Ark. 127, 132, 741 S.W.2d 246, 249 (1987). Greene fails to cite one piece of authority for the proposition that counsel was ineffective in this case. Greene merely makes conclusory allegations that there may have been some medical examiner that would have disagreed with Dr. Malak. Conclusory statements cannot be the basis of postconviction relief. Jackson v. State, ___ Ark. ___, 105 S.W.3d 352 (2003). This court will not grant postconviction relief for ineffective assistance of counsel where the petitioner fails to show what the omitted testimony or other evidence was, and how it would have changed the outcome. Id. In the absence of any showing of what the evidence concerning Dr. Malak's examination might have proven, this court affirms.