Opinion ID: 1795016
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Issue 5Ineffective Assistance of Counsel During the Penalty Phase

Text: Schwab claims that his counsel was ineffective during the penalty phase. Schwab argues that his counsel was ineffective for presenting Schwab's father as a mitigation witness while knowing that Schwab's father would deny allegations of abusing Schwab and Schwab's mother. Schwab also argues that his counsel failed to investigate the waiver of the penalty phase jury, failed to neutralize the prior violent felony and the murder committed during the commission of an enumerated felony aggravating circumstances, and failed to provide the assistance of a competent mental health expert. At the evidentiary hearing, Schwab's counsel testified that he understood that the testimony of Schwab's father and mother would differ as to the alleged abuse endured by Schwab and Schwab's mother. However, counsel testified that he presented the father's testimony because he believed that Judge Richardson needed to have a full understanding of Schwab's childhood. Counsel also testified that he believed the father testified very well and that Schwab's parents' testimony did not conflict. We conclude that the presentation of the testimony of both of Schwab's parents was a strategic decision which counsel could reasonably make. See Mann v. State, 770 So.2d 1158, 1161 (Fla. 2000) (finding trial counsel's decision to present evidence of pedophilia was strategic decision not outside range of reasonable competent performance); Occhicone, 768 So.2d at 1048. In fact, in weighing the aggravators and mitigators, Judge Richardson found as a mitigating factor that Schwab grew up in an unstable home. Such finding may have been based on the presentation of testimony from both parents. Schwab next argues that his counsel failed to investigate the waiver of an advisory penalty phase jury. As discussed above, Schwab and his counsel were completely aware of the possible consequences in waiving the advisory jury. Schwab and his counsel made an informed tactical decision in respect to both the guilt phase and the penalty phase. Hence, as with the guilt phase waiver of the jury, Schwab cannot establish his counsel's deficient performance in respect to the penalty phase. See id. Schwab's next ineffectiveness subclaim is that his counsel failed to neutralize two aggravating circumstances presented at Schwab's penalty phase. The prior violent felony conviction aggravator found at Schwab's penalty phase was based on Schwab's guilty plea for sexual battery. See Schwab, 636 So.2d at 7. Schwab argues that if counsel had properly investigated, counsel would have discovered that Schwab's deficient mental condition prohibited his entering a knowing, intelligent, and voluntary guilty plea for his prior sexual battery conviction. [9] Schwab also argues that because Schwab did not plead guilty to either sexual battery or kidnaping during the guilt phase of trial, counsel was ineffective for stipulating at the penalty phase to the aggravating factor that the murder was committed during the commission of a violent felony. In our opinion regarding Schwab's direct appeal, we discussed and found no error in the trial court's finding of aggravating circumstances. The record supports all three aggravators. The state introduced Schwab's prior conviction of sexual battery, and the evidence supports his instant conviction of kidnapping and sexual battery of a child. We agree with the trial court's conclusion that the facts also demonstrate the murder to have been committed in a heinous, atrocious, or cruel manner. Schwab, 636 So.2d at 7. Preliminarily, we find that these ineffectiveness subclaims challenge the propriety of the aggravating circumstances but veil such challenge in an ineffective assistance of counsel argument. Therefore, as we found such aggravators valid on direct appeal, we find Schwab's subclaims are procedurally barred. See, e.g., Rutherford v. State, 727 So.2d 216, 218-19 n. 2 (Fla.1998) (finding procedurally barred claims that could have been raised on direct appeal even though couched in ineffective assistance of counsel argument). Notwithstanding this procedural bar, these claims are without merit. Schwab presented no evidence to support his assertion that his prior felony conviction for sexual battery was invalid. Furthermore, Schwab's argument that his trial counsel should not have stipulated to the murder during the commission of an enumerated felony aggravator is similarly without merit as Schwab was convicted of sexual battery of a child and kidnaping after adversarial testing at the guilt phase of trial. See Schwab, 636 So.2d at 7-8. Given these concurrent felony convictions, counsel was not ineffective for acknowledging this fact. See, e.g., Patton v. State, 784 So.2d 380, 390 (Fla.2000) (finding facts counsel conceded were supported by overwhelming evidence and, even if counsel had denied these facts, there was no reasonable possibility jury would have rendered different verdict). Therefore, relief was properly denied. Schwab next contends that his counsel was ineffective for failing to ensure that Schwab had access to a competent mental health expert for the purpose of evaluating, preparing, and presenting mitigation evidence for the defense. See Ake v. Oklahoma, 470 U.S. 68, 83, 105 S.Ct. 1087, 84 L.Ed.2d 53 (1985); see also Mann, 770 So.2d at 1164. The trial judge found that Schwab presented no evidence to support this claim. We agree. Ake requires that a defendant have access to a competent psychiatrist who will conduct an appropriate examination and assist in evaluation, preparation, and presentation of the defense. Ake, 470 U.S. at 83, 105 S.Ct. 1087. Schwab's counsel presented Dr. Bernstein, an expert in psychological evaluation, who testified as to mental mitigation evidence at the penalty phase. Dr. Bernstein testified that in conducting his evaluation he interviewed Schwab twice and interviewed Schwab's mother once. Dr. Bernstein conducted a mental status examination and lengthy psychological tests, including the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and the MMPI II, among various others. Dr. Bernstein also testified that he reviewed and relied on the videotaped opinions of Dr. Fred Berlin and Dr. Ted Shaw in forming his diagnosis of Schwab. Dr. Berlin and Dr. Shaw, experts in the diagnosis and treatment of mentally disordered sex offenders, interviewed and evaluated Schwab. Dr. Berlin gave a formal sexual disorder diagnosis, and Dr. Shaw provided information concerning the potential benefits Schwab could have received had he been admitted to certain treatment programs. Portions of these videotapes were presented to Judge Richardson. On the basis of this evaluation, Dr. Bernstein diagnosed Schwab as a pedophile operating at a regressed level of maturity who exhibited violent sexual deviant behavior. Schwab's counsel performed the essential tasks required by Ake. See Mann, 770 So.2d at 1164. Therefore, we affirm the trial court's denial of this claim.