Opinion ID: 75545
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Claims of ineffective assistance of counsel pertaining to the penalty phase

Text: 34 Thompson first argues that his trial attorneys' performance at the sentencing phase was ineffective because counsel performed little pretrial investigation of mitigation evidence and no preparation for the sentencing phase of trial. As noted above, to prevail in an ineffective assistance of counsel claim a petitioner must prove both that counsel's actions or omissions were deficient and that there is a reasonable probability that, but for counsel's unprofessional errors, the result of the proceeding would have been different. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 694. A reasonable probability need not be proof by a preponderance that the result would have been different, but it must be a showing sufficient to undermine confidence in the outcome. Id. See also Williams v. Taylor, 529 U.S. 362, 391 (2000). 35 At the state hearing, Thompson introduced the following evidence of mental problems and a troubled family history which he contends should have been presented at trial. Thompson's mother, Joyce Parker, testified that her husband, Thompson's father, beat her and all of her children, even while she was pregnant and that, in addition to the violence Thompson suffered at the hands of his father, he had also witnessed his grandfather shoot his father in the shoulder in an attempt to protect Thompson's mother. 36 Thompson's mother also noted that it was after his father was killed when Thompson was seventeen years old that Thompson began using drugs and drinking more. She attributed this to the fact that Thompson was blamed by his grandmother for his father's death and felt tremendous guilt. 5 She described Thompson as a compassionate person who was good with children and reported that on one occasion Thompson helped a homeless man find shelter and provided him with food. Finally, she testified that there was a period of time when Thompson was trying to live right and was going to church, and she believed at that time that Thompson would become a preacher. She testified that Dobson and McPherson, Thompson's lawyers, never contacted her prior to trial, but that she managed to track them down over the phone and spoke with them briefly. She briefly spoke with counsel a second time, during trial, and spoke with them a third time toward the end of trial when they asked her to beg the jury for his life. 37 Alford Lett, Thompson's uncle, testified that he had seen Thompson on at least a weekly basis throughout his life until Thompson moved in with Franklin. He testified that Thompson had a rough . . . childhood, all the way through because of his father's drinking and physical abuse and that Thompson's father had provided Thompson with liquor since the age of 10 or 12. He also testified that he had at times employed Thompson in his sheetrocking business and that he knew Thompson to be a good worker who would walk away from trouble rather than fight. Finally, he stated that he was available to testify but was never contacted by defense counsel. 38 Leona Thompson, Thompson's sister-in-law, testified that she had known Thompson for eight years and described him as a kind person who had gone with her to the hospital when she was giving birth to her son. She said that Thompson had babysat for her son when he was three months old and approximately four or five other times and had taken her and her son to dinner. She testified that she was present during the trial and would have testified, but was never contacted by Thompson's attorneys. 39 Reverand Jerry Fleming, pastor of the church in Thompson's home town, testified that Thompson attended his church meetings regularly from March through July of 1984, and that during this period he was on fire for God and deeply concerned about his mother's spiritual well-being. He also testified that Thompson was among a group of people seeking to leave behind a life of addiction to drugs and find the straight path. After Thompson stopped attending church in July, Fleming spoke with Thompson and learned that Thompson was looking for another job because he could not resist the peer pressure at his present job. Fleming said that he had been available to testify at trial in 1985 but was never contacted by defense counsel. 40 Thompson testified about his alcohol and drug problems, his violent upbringing, the traumatic experiences in his life and head injuries he received as a child. 41 Finally, Thompson introduced the testimony of Dr. Beidelman, a clinical psychologist hired by Thompson's collateral counsel to evaluate Thompson. Dr. Beidelman had interviewed Thompson and his mother, administered psychological tests, and reviewed the records in this case. Based on this information, he opined that Thompson began abusing alcohol to escape the violence in his home, becoming dependent on it before he was 10 and began using other drugs at age 14 under the assistance and influence of his brother; that Thompson felt he was a coward for not avenging his fathers death; and that Thompson became involved with Shirley Franklin, a 35 year old woman, when he was 25 and became dependent on her because she bought him drugs and alcohol. 42 At the hearing, Thompson's trial counsel also testified. They both stated that prior to trial, they met with Thompson numerous times and discussed his defense, trial strategy, and procedures and continued to do so during trial, each morning and each evening after proceedings were adjourned. They testified that they prepared jointly for the guilt and sentencing phases of trial because they believed that Thompson's penalty phase defense was consistent with his defense at trial which was one of diminished capacity, limited participation, addiction to drugs and alcohol, and remorse. In preparing for this case, they visited the scene of the crime, interviewed law enforcement personnel involved in the investigation of this case, searched for witnesses in the community, spoke with Thompson's mother about his childhood, and interviewed every person that Thompson named as being a possible witness for him, both with respect to the crime and mitigation. They did not find anyone in the community to testify on Thompson's behalf, except for two of his friends, Jackie Pope and Connie Pope, and his mother, Joyce Parker. In addition, counsel interviewed Thompson's brother before trial, but his brother said that he did not want to say anything that could hurt Thompson. Trial counsel also asked Thompson about his childhood, educational background, and drug and alcohol problems. They questioned Thompson about his religious affiliations and he denied any. Trial counsel also advised Thompson as to the importance of his testifying during the penalty phase and the possible negative effects of his failure to testify. They urged Thompson to testify at the penalty phase but he refused. 43 Defense counsel described their trial strategy as twofold. First, they sought to cultivate sympathy for and humanize Thompson by presenting Thompson's testimony regarding his drug and alcohol problems and the trauma he suffered as a result of his father's death and by arguing addiction to drugs and alcohol and remorse. Second, they sought to argue diminished capacity and limited participation through the cross-examination of Franklin which they believed would expose that she was motivated by either lover's revenge, money, or something. 44 In rebuttal, the State introduced a transcript of one of the conversations between Thompson and his attorneys prior to Thompson's trial, which had been taped by trial counsel. In the taped conversation Thompson told counsel that he had kidnaped and robbed Gray, but it had been Shirley Franklin who had ordered her into the well and shot her. Counsel had advised Thompson that relying on that version of events at trial might lead to the prosecution of Franklin for capital murder and Thompson asserted that he would stand by that version of events because it was true. The tape also reveals that counsel discussed Thompson's defense at trial, including a possible insanity or diminished capacity defense as well as the procedures required to establish such a defense. 45 The state trial court found that Thompson's attorneys were credible witnesses and credited their version of the facts, finding that Thompson's attorneys were in frequent contact with Thompson, extensively discussed trial strategy with him, and interviewed all persons identified by him as possible witnesses at trial and discredited Joyce Parker's testimony that she had not been contacted. Additionally, the state court found that because Thompson had testified at trial regarding his drug and alcohol abuse and his father's murder and there was other evidence of his dependence on drugs and alcohol, much of the mitigating evidence offered at the hearing would have been cumulative. Finally, the state court found that the testimony of Thompson's witnesses was far from compelling and does not create a reasonable probability that, had it been presented, Thompson would not have been sentenced to death. 46 Under the facts of this case, we cannot say that the state and district court erred in concluding that no reasonable probability exists that but for counsel's failure to present additional mitigating evidence the results of the sentencing phase would have been different. We have considered both the evidence presented at the trial and the mitigation evidence presented at the state habeas hearing. Although more evidence could have been presented, both Thompson and his mother had testified to his abused childhood, his history of drug and alcohol abuse, and the effect of his father's murder upon him. Thompson has not shown that there is a reasonable probability that the additional testimony presented at the habeas hearing, which Thompson asserts should have been presented at trial, would have resulted in a different outcome. The quality and quantity of this testimony in mitigation must be weighed against the aggravating factors of this robbery and kidnaping, and the manner and method of the murder. We cannot say that there is a probability sufficient to undermine confidence in the outcome of this case under the circumstances presented by the aggravating and available mitigating circumstances in this case. 47 Finally, Thompson argues that Counsel predisposed the jury to impose the death penalty by making statements at the closing argument of the guilt/innocence phase that distanced themselves from Thompson and dehumanized him in the eyes of the jury. In this case, Counsel informed the jury that they were court appointed. With this backdrop, counsel stated in the closing argument of the guilt/innocence phase: 48 It is, I think, further indicative to know that these people that you have heard testify here this week, to the large part of our population, live in a foreign and strange and alien atmosphere and environment. Most people in this county, in fact, the overwhelming majority don't lie around all day drinking and smoking pot and playing cards. Most of us have a job that we go to. While some of us may not have the best jobs in the world, and Rocky Balboa said in the movie Rocky, it's a living. We do it. So, most of that sort of activity is alien and foreign to our concept of morality and how we look at the way civilized and normal human beings ought to act. 49 . . .[Thompson has had] one traumatic experience after another: living on the fringes of society, outside all acceptable modes or normal behavior, taking up with a 35 year old woman and living with her. And in order to satisfy his and her drug habit and their lust, they have engaged in robbery, clear and undisputed. They have engaged in other activities outside and alien to the law. 50 Thompson argues that these comments were prejudicial and relies on our decision in Horton v. Zant, 941 F.2d 1449 (11th Cir. 1991), for support. In that case, we recognized that counsel virtually encouraged the jury to impose the death penalty where counsel told the jury that the one you judge is not a very good person . . . I ask you for the life of a worthless man, and, the prosecutor's closing made me hate my client followed by: 51 But then, I . . . try to be reasonable about the whole situation; and I don't hate him as much . . . Mr. Briley has admirably told you just exactly why it is that Jimmy Lee has got to die. And it becomes my turn to try and explain to you why you don't have to say he's got to die . . . I find my task virtually impossible . . . Maybe Mr. Briley is right, maybe he is not. Maybe he ought to die, but I don't know. 52 Id. at 1462. See also King v. Strickland, 714 F.2d 1481, 1491 (11th Cir.1983), vacated on other grounds, 467 U.S. 1211 (1984), adhered to on remand, 748 F.2d 1462 (11th Cir.1984); Blanco v. Singletary, 943 F.2d 1477 (11th Cir. 1991). 53 Although not as egregious as the statements in Horton, counsel's statements in closing, as well as counsel's disclosure to the jury that they were court appointed, hardly comports with the fundamental duty of loyalty to a client and of ensuring that the adversarial testing process works to produce a just result under the standards governing decision. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 687. Counsel could hardly hope to persuade a jury to be merciful while at the same time stressing the immoral and worthless quality of their client's life and also reminding the jury that they were appointed by the court to represent Thompson. As we explained in Goodwin v. Balkcom, 684 F.2d 794 (11th Cir. 1982), reminding a jury that the undertaking is not by choice, but in service to the public, effectively stacks the odds against the accused. Id. at 806. We reiterate that a lawyer does not serve his or her client by telling the jury that they have been court appointed. Moreover, although we recognize the need to develop and maintain credibility and rapport with the jury, it is unreasonable for trial counsel to do so at the expense of the client's best interests. 54 Nonetheless, in view of the entire record, we find that Thompson has not shown a reasonable probability that counsel's performance affected either the jury's verdict that he was guilty of capital murder or the jury's recommendation of death. 55 Thus, for the foregoing reasons, Thompson's conviction and the sentence imposed upon him must be 56 AFFIRMED.