Opinion ID: 2227738
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: defense trial counsel's ineffective assistance

Text: Trial counsel's performance was ineffective in that he (1) failed to obtain pertinent medical records regarding defendant's mental state, (2) failed to properly inform Dr. O'Reilly of the definitions of insanity and mental illness, and (3) failed to properly inform himself regarding the pursuit of an insanity defense. Counsel learned from Dr. Norris' report of the existence of Community Mental Health records, Port Huron Hospital records, and county jail records showing defendant's mental state during the months immediately before and after the shooting. However, he never examined them before trial, either for use in cross-examination or for background to enable Dr. O'Reilly to adequately evaluate defendant and prepare her testimony for trial. Effective assistance of counsel includes the duty to prepare, investigate, and present all substantial defenses. People v. Kelly, 186 Mich.App. 524, 526, 465 N.W.2d 569 (1990); People v. Lewis, 64 Mich.App. 175, 183-184, 235 N.W.2d 100 (1975). As has been aptly stated by the United States Supreme Court, counsel has a duty to make reasonable investigations or to make a reasonable decision that makes particular investigations unnecessary. Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 691, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984). I would hold that defense counsel at trial in the instant case failed in this duty. When asked why he neglected to examine defendant's mental health records before trial, counsel said: [I n]ever won a case by cross-examination of the other side's expert. I find this unconvincing. One might be justified in making an informed decision not to extensively cross-examine an expert after careful review of the expert's proposed testimony and the facts underlying the expert's opinion. But, counsel is not effective who omits to cross-examine an expert because of ignorance of pertinent records on which the expert relied. Defense counsel's failure to obtain defendant's medical records also led to the inadequate preparation of Dr. O'Reilly. Counsel neither furnished Dr. O'Reilly with defendant's records before she diagnosed him, nor did he inform her of their existence. She has indicated that, had she been made familiar with defendant's mental history, she would have approached her clinical assessment of defendant's mental state differently. Also, after reviewing the records, she found that they do support a finding that defendant was suffering from a mental illness at the time of the shooting. Presumably, her testimony to the jury would have bolstered a defense of guilty but mentally ill or not guilty by reason of insanity. Defense counsel also failed to provide Dr. O'Reilly with basic information regarding Michigan's criteria for insanity, mental illness, diminished capacity, and a possible defense of guilty but mentally ill. As noted by appellate counsel, this was Dr. O'Reilly's first experience as an expert witness during a trial. Counsel's guidance regarding the legal aspects of Dr. O'Reilly's findings was inadequate under the circumstances.