Opinion ID: 1966978
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 29

Heading: doyle v. ohio issues

Text: In this section of his motion, Nesbitt alleges that the prosecution was erroneously allowed to impeach his trial testimony both on cross-examination and during closing argument by referring to his post- Miranda silence, in violation of Doyle v. Ohio, 426 U.S. 610, 96 S.Ct. 2240, 49 L.Ed.2d 91 (1976). With respect to this alleged error, Nesbitt asserts both that the district court erred in allowing the impeachment and that his trial counsel was ineffective for failing to object. Nesbitt's claim that the district court erred in allowing the impeachment could have been made on direct appeal and is therefore procedurally barred. See, e.g., State v. Brunzo, 262 Neb. 598, 634 N.W.2d 767 (2001); State v. Thomas, 262 Neb. 138, 629 N.W.2d 503 (2001). Nesbitt's assertion that his trial counsel was ineffective, however, is not barred, as he had the same counsel at trial as he did on direct appeal. See State v. Soukharith, 260 Neb. 478, 618 N.W.2d 409 (2000). Some additional background is necessary to our analysis of this issue. Nesbitt testified at trial that he and Harmer, along with one or two other persons at various times, were in his home on the night of November 30, 1975. He testified that all persons in the home were using controlled substances. According to Nesbitt's testimony, Harmer excused herself to go to the bathroom, and when she did not return a short time later, he went to the bathroom and found her lying on the floor in a pool of vomit. He testified that after determining that she was dead, he cleaned her body and disposed of it, first wrapping it in carpet and placing it in a garage, and then, on the following day, placing the body in a manhole at a housing development near Carter Lake, Iowa. He assumed that Harmer died of a drug overdose and denied killing her. Nesbitt testified on direct examination that law enforcement officers came to his home in 1975 shortly after Harmer's death. He admitted that on this occasion, he told police that Harmer had been at his home on the night of November 30, but had left the next morning. He testified that he did not report Harmer's death to authorities because he did not trust them. Nesbitt further testified that he had had a similar conversation a few days later with other officers who had contacted a female acquaintance of Nesbitt's concerning Harmer's disappearance. Several days after these conversations, Nesbitt left Omaha and moved to Chicago, Illinois, where he assumed a new identity. He testified that in 1978, law enforcement officials located him in Illinois, ascertained his true identity, and questioned him about Harmer's disappearance. Nesbitt alleges that he was given Miranda warnings at the time of this questioning and on five subsequent occasions between 1978 and 1985 when he was questioned by police. On cross-examination, Nesbitt again admitted that he originally told law enforcement authorities in 1975 that Harmer left his home while he was asleep. Later in the cross-examination, he was asked: Q Did you ever tell the story that you told this jury today to anyone who was investigating this case or anyone involved in law enforcement? A This is not a story; this is what happened. Q I ask you have you ever told this to anyone who was investigating the case or anybody who involved [sic] in law enforcement before today? A No. Nesbitt's counsel did not object to these questions. In his closing argument, the prosecutor made the following statements: The first time anybody heard Mr. Nesbitt say that, [referring to his testimony that Harmer died of a drug overdose] that's involved in law enforcement or had anything to do with the case, other than he says his attorneys, was yesterday morning.