Opinion ID: 1694183
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Failure to Investigate a Negroid Hair Sample

Text: In his next claim, Happ contends that his counsel was ineffective for failing to investigate and sufficiently argue exculpatory evidence pertaining to a negroid pubic hair that was found underneath a pair of sweatpants which were tied tightly around the victim's neck. At the trial, defense counsel presented evidence about the unknown hair, and the State rebutted this evidence with two theories: the pubic hair had gotten on the victim's sweatpants at a public restroom or that it was transferred via use of a used sponge by an assistant at the medical examiner's office. During the evidentiary hearing on this postconviction claim, counsel for Happ questioned Mr. Nacke, Happ's trial co-counsel, about the failure to investigate this claim. Mr. Nacke explained that trial counsel did not have any African-American suspects in the case with whom they could make a comparison other than the man who worked for the medical examiner's office. The postconviction court denied this claim, stating that defense counsel was aware of this unknown hair and made an unsuccessful search to find an African-American other than the medical examiner's assistant with whom to make a comparison. The court concluded, Everything in this record supports their diligence in investigating this issue. We find no basis for reversing this ruling. Trial counsel made a strategic decision not to have the unknown hair compared to the individual at the medical examiner's office. If the hair remained unknown, the defense had a basis for arguing that there was an unknown assailant who was responsible for the crime. However, the defense would have been unable to present this possibility if the hair had been matched to the medical examiner's assistant. Happ is not entitled to relief on this claim.