Opinion ID: 886976
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Challenging R.C.'s credibility on cross-examination

Text: ¶ 15 J.C. claims his counsel was ineffective for questioning R.C. about whether R.C. had been improperly influenced or coached to change his testimony. J.C. asserts that he was prejudiced because this questioning opened the door to rebuttal testimony regarding R.C.'s prior consistent statements. This rebuttal testimony was allowed because defense counsel challenged R.C.'s credibility on the basis of improper influence. Rule 801, M.R.Evid. J.C. claims that without this rebuttal testimony, he would have been entitled to a directed verdict of not guilty at the end of the State's case-in-chief. J.C. further contends that the Court need not even determine whether J.C. was prejudiced by his attorney's conduct because his attorney's representation was so deficient he should not be required to satisfy both prongs of the Strickland test. ¶ 16 The State counters that the cross-examination of R.C. had a beneficial purpose and was appropriate; counsel's questioning allowed the jury to infer that R.C. was improperly influenced to change his testimony during the court recess. Without the questioning, the jury would not have known that R.C. had spoken with several people associated with the State during the courtroom break. ¶ 17 R.C. initially testified that he did not tell anybody about what J.C. did to him. Although R.C. stated that someone touched his privates, he would not say who had done it. He also denied that anyone put his or her mouth on his privates. At this point in R.C.'s testimony, the State requested a recess and R.C. left the courtroom. In the judge's chambers following the recess, the prosecutor stated that she had talked with R.C. during the recess. R.C. told the prosecutor that he wanted to sit on his foster mother's lap for the remainder of his testimony because he felt comfortable there. J.C.'s counsel objected to R.C. sitting on his foster mother's lap. J.C.'s counsel noted it appeared the State was attempting to have R.C. change his testimony by asking the same questions in a different environment (with R.C. sitting on his foster mother's lap). The court responded that J.C.'s counsel could examine all the witnesses who appear about what contacts they've had and when those contacts have occurred and, if you believe that coaching has occurred, you may certainly inquire about those things. ¶ 18 The trial then resumed with R.C. sitting on his foster mother's lap for the remainder of his testimony. R.C.'s testimony changed from before the recess in that he told the court J.C. was the person who touched his privates with his hands and mouth. R.C. said that it happened a lot when no one else was around. R.C. stated that he told his mother about the behavior and she did not do anything about it. R.C. also said that J.C. told R.C. not to tell. R.C. believed that J.C. would be punished if he told. R.C. said that he told his counselor about the incidents. ¶ 19 J.C.'s counsel cross-examined R.C. about his change in testimony. He asked R.C. who he talked to during the break and if these people told him to say anything different from what he said before. R.C. responded that he was not telling the truth earlier but that now he was. On rebuttal, the State introduced R.C.'s prior consistent statements to others, pursuant to Rule 801(d)(1)(A) and (B), M.R.Evid. Although J.C.'s counsel objected, the court allowed witnesses to testify about prior statements R.C. had given. ¶ 20 The State called R.C.'s counselor as a rebuttal witness. She testified that during one of her interviews with R.C., he told her that J.C. had touched him several times and put his mouth on R.C.'s private parts. The State also called the licensed clinical psychologist who treated R.C. She said that R.C. told her that J.C. went to jail because he was sucking me and stuff in his crotch area, what R.C. called his private part. ¶ 21 The type of questioning that J.C.'s counsel engaged in during cross-examination of R.C. was not deficient performance that rendered counsel's representation ineffective. Gallagher, ¶ 8. Defense counsel's decision to question R.C. about his change in testimony reflects a decision made in the exercise of reasonable professional judgment. Weldele, ¶ 70. His counsel would have been remiss in his duty to represent J.C. if he ignored the complete change in R.C.'s testimony. J.C.'s counsel was attempting to demonstrate that any change in R.C.'s testimony which occurred after the court recess may have been caused by improper influence from the State or persons associated with the State. This is proper trial strategy and does not show that J.C.'s counsel was ineffective. Gallagher, ¶ 7. His counsel's performance was within the range of competence demanded of attorneys under similar circumstances. Sellner, 286 Mont. at 400, 951 P.2d at 998. J.C. has failed to satisfy the first prong of the Strickland test. Because we have determined that he must meet both prongs of the Strickland test, we need not address the second prong. Accordingly, we conclude that his counsel was not ineffective when he questioned R.C. regarding his change in testimony.