Opinion ID: 1464908
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Good Conduct During Prior Confinement.

Text: Mr. Middleton argues that counsel was ineffective for not contacting Mr. Middleton's Iowa corrections counselor and for not introducing his Iowa corrections records because this would have shown good conduct in Iowa prisons and, thus, would have supported the argument that life imprisonment rather than death would be an appropriate punishment. Counsel in Mr. Middleton's Callaway County trial for the murders of Mr. Hamilton and Ms. Hodge also failed to introduce evidence concerning Mr. Middleton's conduct while imprisoned in Iowa. What this Court said in that case on appeal in affirming denial of post-conviction relief is equally applicable here. In both cases, counsel chose to introduce evidence of Mr. Middleton's good conduct at a Missouri correctional facility. Such evidence was more recent in time than the Iowa evidence and made the same point. For this reason: Counsel was not ineffective. The Iowa evidence mirrored the Missouri evidence, which showed that defendant can behave in prison. Also, the Iowa evidence would have emphasized his Iowa convictions. Counsel reasonably chose not to introduce cumulative evidence of defendant's good behavior in prison. Middleton, 80 S.W.3d at 810. This same analysis applies here. Counsel was not ineffective in failing to introduce the evidence of defendant's behavior while in prison in Iowa. Skillicorn, 22 S.W.3d at 683.