Opinion ID: 1224760
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: defense counsel's failure to investigate [appellant's] alibi and even speak to [appellant's] alibi witnesses and then failing to move for a bill of particulars to narrow the time frame of the offense in question denied [appellant] his right to effective assistance of counsel.

Text: With respect to an attorney's duty to investigate, we have stated: [S]trategic choices made after less than complete investigation are reasonable precisely to the extent that reasonable professional judgments support the limitations on investigation. In other words, counsel has a duty to make reasonable investigations or to make a reasonable decision that makes particular investigations unnecessary. . . . The reasonableness of counsel's actions may be determined or substantially influenced by the defendant's own statements or actions. Counsel's actions are usually based, quite properly, on informed strategic choices made by the defendant and on information supplied by the defendant. . . . [W]hat investigation decisions are reasonable depends critically on such information. Frias v. State, 722 P.2d 135, 145 (Wyo.1986) (quoting Strickland, 466 U.S. at 691, 104 S.Ct. at 2066-67). See also McCoy v. State, 886 P.2d 252, 255 (Wyo.1994). At the hearing on Appellant's motion for a new trial, Appellant's trial counsel was specifically questioned about why he did not pursue an alibi defense. The attorney explained that he did not pursue an alibi defense because the criminal information which charged Appellant simply stated that the crime had occurred on or about September, 1994. He stated that, even with Appellant's witness list, it was impossible for Appellant to account for his whereabouts during the entire month. Additionally, Appellant listed his wife as one of his alibi witnesses, and his counsel felt that it would be risky to have her testify. The attorney was afraid that the wife's testimony could open the door to questioning by the State about a Colorado case in which Appellant was accused of cultivating marihuana. Given this testimony, we conclude that Appellant's attorney acted in a reasonable manner when he determined that he did not need to contact Appellant's alibi witnesses. The attorney's trial strategy was sound. As a related matter, Appellant contends that his trial attorney should have filed a motion for a bill of particulars to pinpoint the time when the offense was committed. At the post-trial hearing, Appellant's attorney indicated that he did not file a bill of particulars because he believed that the lack of specificity in the State's charge worked to Appellant's advantage. Some evidence existed which indicated that there may have been a delivery in November in addition to the September delivery which was specified in the charging document. The attorney indicated that the lack of specificity in the charge played to Appellant's advantage because it highlighted the fact that the State could not pinpoint the precise date when the charged delivery occurred. Appellant's attorney offered a valid explanation as to why he did not file a motion for a bill of particulars. The attorney's strategic decision was reasonable in light of the circumstances, and we will not second guess him on appeal. See Owen, 902 P.2d at 199.