Opinion ID: 1689865
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Harmless Error Analysis Used By the Supreme Court

Text: Gonzalez contends this Court used a hearsay-based harmless error analysis rather than a confrontation clause analysis in reviewing the trial court's admission of his codefendants' inculpatory statements during his initial trial. On direct appeal, Gonzalez argued the trial court's admission of these statements was error. This Court found harmful error occurred in the penalty phase of his trial, [1] but that the error was harmless in the guilt phase. See Gonzalez, 700 So.2d at 1219. Thus, this claim is procedurally barred since it was addressed by this Court on direct appeal of Gonzalez's original case and is the law of the case. See Turner v. Dugger, 614 So.2d 1075, 1078 (Fla.1992) (claims procedurally barred if they, or variations thereof, were raised on direct appeal). [2]