Opinion ID: 1664073
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Failure to Challenge Philmore's Credibility

Text: Spann next contends counsel was ineffective for failing to impeach Philmore with his prior inconsistent statements. Spann argues that impeachment was critical because Philmore was the only witness who directly implicated Spann as being present at the scene as well as planning and ordering the shooting death of Perron. The record undisputedly demonstrates that Philmore made multiple inconsistent statements to the police after he was arrested. In his first statement, Philmore denied any involvement in the abduction and murder of Perron, and only admitted his involvement in the bank robbery. However, through the next four statements, he slowly began to admit his involvement in the abduction and murder. He first stated that although he was involved, Spann was the one who shot Perron and concealed her body. In his final statement, though, he admitted that he was the shooter and Spann was the mastermind behind the plan. At trial, during defense counsel's cross-examination of Philmore, Philmore admitted his involvement in the abduction, murder, and bank robbery. Although defense counsel did not question Philmore regarding the inconsistencies in his statements to the police, defense counsel did ask Philmore whether he lied when he was first questioned about his involvement. Philmore admitted that he had lied. At the evidentiary hearing, counsel testified that although he was aware of Philmore's inconsistent statements, he did not question Philmore because he believed it was strategically better to say look at the first statement, he doesn't know anything, and now he's telling he's seeing everything. In denying relief, the trial court found that counsel made a strategic and reasonable decision to not raise the issue of Philmore's multiple inconsistent statements during cross-examination. Although counsel did not question Philmore specifically about each inconsistent statement, counsel still demonstrated that Philmore's trial testimony and his first statement to the police were inconsistent by having Philmore admit that he lied to the police in his first statement. Moreover, during cross-examination, counsel raised the fact that in Philmore's case, the jury had unanimously recommended a death sentence, and that the judge had not yet sentenced him, to demonstrate that Philmore was testifying against Spann to possibly gain mitigation of his sentence. Because counsel's decision to not question Philmore about his inconsistent statements was a strategic, reasonable decision, counsel cannot be deemed ineffective. Counsel contemplated alternative courses, but decided it was better to just show that Philmore first lied when questioned by the police, but later admitted his involvement in the crimes. See Occhicone v. State, 768 So.2d 1037, 1048 (Fla.2000) ([S]trategic decisions do not constitute ineffective assistance of counsel if alternative courses have been considered and rejected and counsel's decision was reasonable under the norms of professional conduct.). Accordingly, because Spann fails to satisfy either prong of Strickland, we affirm the trial court's denial of relief.