Opinion ID: 2062476
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Failure to Advise and Make Recommendations as to Judge or Jury Trial and Sentencing

Text: Gilliam contends that Daneman was deficient in not making a recommendation as to whether he should opt for a court or jury trial and sentencing. At the post conviction hearing, Gilliam called William C. Brennan, Jr., who was qualified as an expert in handling death penalty cases. Mr. Brennan opined that an attorney has a duty to make a recommendation as to court or jury trial and sentencing. Mr. Brennan, however, also testified that it would be impossible for him to say what advice Daneman should have given or even if one mode was preferable over the other in the instant case. Daneman testified that he advised Gilliam at length and on several occasions regarding the decision to elect court or jury trial and sentencing. Daneman further testified that his practice is to tell the client that the ultimate decision must be made by the client. Daneman did not attempt to influence Gilliam's decision by making any recommendation of his own, although Gilliam's mother, Mary Gilliam, apparently recommended to Gilliam that he elect a court trial and court sentencing because she believed Judge Fader was a religious person and would be the fairest possible trier of fact. Gilliam also expressed fear about how a jury would view his crime and ultimately elected a court trial and court sentencing. Election of court or jury trial and/or sentencing is a decision for the defendant. See Maryland Rule 4-246; Bruce v. State, 328 Md. 594, 602-608, 616 A.2d 392, 396-99 (1992), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 113 S.Ct. 2936, 124 L.Ed.2d 686 (1993). There was no indication that, in the instant case, one would have been preferable over the other and no reason why Daneman should have attempted to influence Gilliam's decision by making a recommendation. We therefore find no ineffective assistance in Daneman's failure to make a recommendation in the instant case as to whether Gilliam should elect to have his trial and his sentencing before a court or jury.