Opinion ID: 2544290
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 20

Heading: habeas petitionineffective assistance of appellate counsel

Text: Claims of ineffective assistance of appellate counsel are appropriately presented in a petition for writ of habeas corpus. See Freeman v. State, 761 So.2d 1055, 1069 (Fla.2000). Consistent with the Strickland standard, to grant habeas relief based on ineffectiveness of appellate counsel, this Court must determine first, whether the alleged omissions are of such magnitude as to constitute a serious error or substantial deficiency falling measurably outside the range of professionally acceptable performance and, second, whether the deficiency in performance compromised the appellate process to such a degree as to undermine confidence in the correctness of the result. Pope v. Wainwright, 496 So.2d 798, 800 (Fla.1986); see also Freeman, 761 So.2d at 1069; Thompson v. State, 759 So.2d 650, 660 (Fla.2000). In raising such a claim, [t]he defendant has the burden of alleging a specific, serious omission or overt act upon which the claim of ineffective assistance of counsel can be based. Freeman, 761 So.2d at 1069; see also Knight v. State, 394 So.2d 997, 1001 (Fla.1981). Claims of ineffective assistance of appellate counsel may not be used to camouflage issues that should have been presented on direct appeal or in a postconviction motion. See Rutherford v. Moore, 774 So.2d 637, 643 (Fla.2000). If a legal issue `would in all probability have been found to be without merit' had counsel raised the issue on direct appeal, the failure of appellate counsel to raise the meritless issue will not render appellate counsel's performance ineffective. Id. (quoting Williamson v. Dugger, 651 So.2d 84, 86 (Fla. 1994)). Kilgore makes seven allegations that appellate counsel was ineffective due to his failure to adequately investigate and prepare. We conclude that Kilgore has failed to meet his burden on any of these claims. First, Kilgore alleges that appellate counsel was ineffective in failing to challenge the evidentiary ruling of the trial court with regard to Emerson Robert Jackson's purported HIV status. If a trial court has weighed the evidence to determine whether its value was more probative than prejudicial, this Court will not overturn a trial court decision absent an abuse of discretion. See Murray v. State, 3 So.3d 1108, 1124 (Fla.), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 130 S.Ct. 396, 175 L.Ed.2d 273 (2009). Here, there does not appear to be any indication that the trial court abused its discretion when it refused to admit evidence of the victim's alleged HIV status. In his petition for a writ of habeas corpus, Kilgore fails to even allege how he was prejudiced by the trial court's refusal to permit evidence of whether Emerson Robert Jackson was diagnosed with HIV. Kilgore has thus failed to meet his burden of meeting both prongs of Strickland. See Freeman, 761 So.2d at 1062 (citing Strickland, 466 U.S. at 687, 104 S.Ct. 2052). Accordingly, we deny relief on this claim. Second, Kilgore alleges that appellate counsel was ineffective in failing to challenge the trial court's (a) denial of a motion to allow the jury to view the crime scene on the basis that photos of the scene were sufficient, and (b) admitting over objection a floor-plan diagram to be placed in evidence without a proper predicate. A motion for jury view is a determination that is left to the discretion of the trial court and there is a presumption of correctness as to its rulings absent a demonstration to the contrary. See Thomas v. State, 748 So.2d 970, 983 (Fla.1999) (citing Bundy v. State, 471 So.2d 9, 20 (Fla.1985)). Here, there does not appear to be any indication that the trial court abused its discretion. Further, in his petition for a writ of habeas corpus, Kilgore has failed to provide any explanation with regard to why a jury walkthrough was essential or why the photographs in evidence were insufficient. Kilgore has thus failed under both prongs of Strickland. See Freeman, 761 So.2d at 1062 (citing Strickland, 466 U.S. at 687, 104 S.Ct. 2052). Accordingly, we deny relief on this claim. Third, Kilgore alleges that appellate counsel was ineffective in failing to challenge the trial court's failure to include a jury instruction for third-degree murder as a lesser included offense. Even if the trial court was in error for failing to include a jury instruction for third-degree murder, such an error would be harmless because it is two steps removed from the offense of which Kilgore was convicted. In State v. Abreau, 363 So.2d 1063, 1064 (Fla.1978), we held that if a defendant is charged with offense A of which B is the next immediate lesser-included offense (one step removed) and C is the next below B (two steps removed), then when the jury is instructed on B yet still convicts the accused of A it is logical to assume that the panel would not have found him guilty only of C (that is, would have passed over B), so that the failure to instruct on C is harmless. Here, the jury was instructed on first-degree murder, second-degree murder, and manslaughter. He was convicted of first-degree murder. Accordingly, any alleged error stemming from the trial court's failure to instruct on third-degree murder is harmless under Abreau. We therefore deny relief on this claim. Fourth, Kilgore alleges that appellate counsel was ineffective in failing to challenge the trial court's denial of Kilgore's motion for mistrial after he created a disturbance in the courtroom and overturned a table when audiotapes were played concerning the testimony of two correctional officers that Kilgore attempted to burn the victim after pouring flammable liquid on him. This claim is without merit. This Court applies an abuse of discretion standard to a denial of a motion for a mistrial. See Evans v. State, 995 So.2d 933, 953 (Fla.2008) (citing England v. State, 940 So.2d 389, 402 (Fla.2006)). In his petition for a writ of habeas corpus, Kilgore has failed to allege how the trial court abused its discretion in failing to grant the motion. To the contrary, the trial court's decision is understandable given that the motion for mistrial was based on Kilgore's own disruptive conduct. Kilgore has thus failed to meet his burden of meeting both prongs of Strickland. See Freeman, 761 So.2d at 1062 (citing Strickland, 466 U.S. at 687, 104 S.Ct. 2052). Accordingly, we deny relief on this claim. Fifth, Kilgore alleges that appellate counsel was ineffective in failing to challenge the trial court's denial of a motion for directed verdict in which he asserted that the count which charged premeditated murder should have actually charged second-degree murder. [16] A ruling on a motion for judgment of acquittal is reviewed de novo. See Pagan v. State, 830 So.2d 792, 803 (Fla.2002). Generally, an appellate court will not reverse a conviction which is supported by competent, substantial evidence. See id. Through our affirmation of Kilgore's conviction of first-degree murder, this Court has already held that competent, substantial evidence exists to support that charge. See Kilgore v. State, 688 So.2d 895, 901 (Fla.1996). The motion for directed verdict was without merit and counsel cannot be considered ineffective for failing to challenge it on direct appeal. See Rutherford, 774 So.2d at 643. Kilgore has thus failed to meet his burden of meeting both prongs of Strickland. See Freeman, 761 So.2d at 1062 (citing Strickland, 466 U.S. at 687, 104 S.Ct. 2052). Accordingly, we deny relief on this claim. Sixth, Kilgore alleges that appellate counsel was ineffective in failing to challenge the trial court ruling which permitted Barbara Ann Jackson to testify during the penalty phase when trial counsel had been unable to depose her. However, a review of the record fails to reveal a proper objection by defense counsel to Barbara Ann Jackson testifying during the penalty phase. Accordingly, because the issue was not properly preserved at trial by objection, appellate counsel cannot be ineffective for failing to raise this claim on appeal unless the claim constituted fundamental error. See Valle v. Moore, 837 So.2d 905, 909 (Fla.2002). Kilgore has failed to allege fundamental error, and none exists here. Further, even if the claim was preserved, Kilgore's failure to allege actual prejudice results in his ultimate failure to meet his burden of meeting both prongs of Strickland. See Freeman, 761 So.2d at 1062 (citing Strickland, 466 U.S. at 687, 104 S.Ct. 2052). Accordingly, we deny relief on this claim. Kilgore's final allegation is that appellate counsel was ineffective in failing to challenge the trial court's decision to allow a correctional officer to testify with regard to Kilgore's state of mind after the murder in that when Kilgore discovered that the victim was dead, Kilgore began crying, wailing, flailing his arms and became so upset when he saw the deceased victim on a gurney that he had to be restrained. Through his petition for writ of habeas corpus Kilgore alleges that trial counsel preserved this issue in his motion for new trial but appellate counsel failed to carry it forward. However, the record citation provided by Kilgore actually refers to defense counsel's cross-examination of the correctional officer. Kilgore fails to allege with any specificity the prejudice sustained due to the officer's testimony. Kilgore's failure to allege actual prejudice results in his ultimate failure to meet his burden of meeting both prongs of Strickland. See Freeman, 761 So.2d at 1062 (citing Strickland, 466 U.S. at 687, 104 S.Ct. 2052). Accordingly, we deny relief on this claim.