Opinion ID: 204733
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Failure to investigate and present mitigating evidence at the penalty phase

Text: In his second claim, Tibbetts argues that trial counsel failed to conduct an adequate investigation into his past. A more thorough investigation, Tibbetts argues, would have allowed greater detail regarding his childhood to be presented to the jury. Tibbetts also faults his trial counsel for failing to call any witnesses to corroborate the testimony of Dr. Weaver. When the adequacy of trial counsel's investigations are at issue we must consider the extent to which limitations on the investigation are supported by reasonable professional judgments. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 690, 104 S.Ct. 2052. In other words, counsel has a duty to make reasonable investigations or to make a reasonable decision that makes particular investigations unnecessary. Id. As stated previously, we must apply a heavy measure of deference to counsel's judgments and Tibbetts must overcome the presumption that, under the circumstances, challenged action might be considered sound trial strategy. Id. at 689, 104 S.Ct. 2052. Tibbetts relies heavily on our case law that establishes that trial counsel may be constitutionally deficient if an investigation is not conducted in preparing mitigation evidence. See, e.g., Glenn v. Tate, 71 F.3d 1204, 1207 (6th Cir.1996) (declaring that trial counsel was objectively unreasonable when they never took the time to develop [mitigation evidence] and made virtually no attempt to prepare for the sentencing phase of trial). However, the record here clearly shows that trial counsel engaged in an investigation of mitigating factors, including Petitioner's family history, psychological background, and every other category to which Petitioner now claims he was entitled. While trial counsel certainly could have conducted a more thorough investigation, we cannot say that the investigation was constitutionally deficient. [2] Moreover, Dr. Weaver testified at length about the awful state of Tibbetts' childhood. As noted, Dr. Weaver testified that Tibbetts' parents both used drugs and that Tibbetts was removed from his home at an early age and placed into foster homes. Dr. Weaver also painted a grim picture of Tibbetts' life in those foster homes, concluding that he was treated more like an animal, tied up at night, etc. While it is true that Dr. Weaver's testimony did not reveal some details contained in additional affidavits now offered by Tibbetts, including affidavits from his sister and a female friend of Tibbetts at the General Protestant Orphan home, Dr. Weaver did not diminish or downplay the difficulties experienced by Tibbetts during his childhood. Tibbetts argues, however, that the testimony of Dr. Weaver should have been supplemented by testimony from Tibbetts' family members. But affording trial counsel a heavy measure of deference, we cannot conclude that there is no conceivable trial strategy that would present evidence of Tibbetts' childhood through a mental health expert, as opposed to friends and family members, who might be seen as having an incentive to stretch the truth in order to save Tibbetts' life. Furthermore, in order to establish prejudice, the new evidence that a habeas petitioner presents must differ in a substantial wayin strength and subject matterfrom the evidence actually presented at sentencing. Hill v. Mitchell, 400 F.3d 308, 319 (6th Cir.2005). The evidence in the affidavits Tibbetts now offers does not meet this test, but is cumulative, albeit somewhat more detailed. The new evidence does not differ in subject matter much less in a substantial wayfrom the evidence already presented at sentencing. It covers the exact same subject, namely, the difficult and abusive childhood that Tibbetts suffered. Certainly this new evidence cannot be described as shocking, disheartening, and utterly disturbing, the kind of evidence that we have held would generally support a finding of prejudice warranting habeas relief. See Beuke v. Houk, 537 F.3d 618, 646 (6th Cir.2008). While the dissent effectively reviews the additional, cumulative evidence, it fails to explain how such evidence, had it been presented, would have done anything to change the jury's perception of Tibbetts' moral culpability for such a brutal and horrific crime. See Jells v. Mitchell, 538 F.3d 478, 498 (6th Cir.2008) (Prejudice is established where, taken as a whole, the available mitigating evidence might well have influenced [the sentencer's] appraisal of [the petitioner's] moral culpability.) (internal quotation marks omitted). This case is similar to Phillips v. Bradshaw, 607 F.3d 199 (6th Cir.2010). There, the petitioner, Phillips, had been convicted of the rape and aggravated murder of a three year old girl. The jury recommended a sentence of death for Phillips. At the sentencing phase, Phillips' counsel focused on Phillips' good character and good behavior in the community. Id. at 210. A psychologist testified as to Phillips' low IQ, low tolerance for stressful situations, and need for a structured environment. Id. at 211. The psychologist specifically testified that there was no sign that Phillips had grown up in a physically or sexually abusive environment. Id. In his habeas petition, Phillips claimed ineffective assistance of counsel, pointing to Child Service Bureau reports, the testimony of various half-siblings, and another psychologist's report that would have detailed an abusive childhood. Id. at 211-15. This court had no problem in deciding that given the brutality of the crime, such additional evidence even covering substantially different subject matterwas not enough to conclude that the state court was objectively unreasonable in holding that there was no reasonable probability that the outcome of the sentencing would have been different. Id. at 219. Here, the brutality of Tibbetts' crimes would have completely overwhelmed any additional, cumulative mitigation evidence of Tibbetts' difficult childhood. Tibbetts murdered two peoplehis own wife and a sixty-seven year old disabled man, suffering from emphysema, breathing from an oxygen tank. When the police found James Hicks' dead body, they found no fewer than three knives that Tibbetts had used still sticking in his body, with another blade broken off in his back. There were no signs that the disabled Hicks put up a fight. Tibbetts own wife, Susan Crawford, was able to fare slightly better, as her broken arm indicates that she may have attempted to fight off Tibbetts for a time. But that attempt failed and she succumbed to the attack, dying in a pool of her own blood, skull cracked, pieces of her brain scattered on the floor. Tibbetts also inflicted multiple knife wounds upon his wife's body, at least nine of which came after he had already killed her. But there is no need to substitute our own judgment on the matter. The state court already concluded that such additional evidence would have made no difference in the outcomeone life sentence and one sentence of death. We cannot say that the court was objectively unreasonable in doing so. Tibbetts has failed to overcome the presumption that his trial counsel acted in accordance with a sound trial strategy, and he cannot show prejudice from the trial counsel's failure to present the evidence Tibbetts now offers. Moreover, Tibbetts cannot show that the state court applied these standards in an objectively unreasonable manner. Accordingly, we will affirm the district court's denial of this claim.