Opinion ID: 885360
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: Failure to object at trial.

Text: ś 101 Dawson contends that his counsel rendered ineffective assistance because, at trial, they did not object to improper direct examination questions by the State, improper comments during the State's closing argument, and improper testimony by Dr. Van Hassel regarding Dawson's mental state. First, Dawson asserts that his counsel failed to object when during the State's examination of a detective, the questions amounted to prosecutorial comment on Dawson's post-arrest silence. ś 102 As the State correctly points out, Dawson's counsel did in fact object when the detective was directly asked about post-arrest silence, and that objection was sustained by the District Court. Further, we addressed this issue in Dawson's direct appeal, stating: [s]ince no answer was given, we conclude that this question about the defendant's silence was harmless. Dawson, 233 Mont. at 357, 761 P.2d at 359. Accordingly, Dawson's assertion is without merit. Other questions and answers to which Dawson now refers were related to actual statements made by Dawson following his arrest. We conclude that it was not ineffective when counsel did not object to that line of questioning. ś 103 Second, Dawson contends that his counsel were ineffective because they failed to object to the State's use of the phrase killing pen four times during its closing argument. Dawson asserts that his counsel's failure to object precluded him from raising this issue on direct appeal. ś 104 In response, the State contends that Dawson's counsel's decision not to object was a reasonable one considering that the facts clearly supported the State's description of the area. The State asserts that there was ample evidence that Dawson killed the Rodsteins and then stored their three bodies in the small sink area outside the bathroom. The State further contends that it would not have been a wise defense tactic to object and thereby allow the State to defend the term killing pen and focus the jury's attention on the term. ś 105 Because many lawyers refrain from objecting during opening statement and closing argument, absent egregious misstatements, the failure to object during closing argument and opening statement is within the `wide range' of permissible professional legal conduct. United States v. Necoechea (9th Cir.1993), 986 F.2d 1273, 1281 (citing Strickland, 466 U.S. at 689, 104 S.Ct. at 2065). ś 106 Because we conclude that the term killing pen was not an egregious misstatement, we further conclude that Dawson's counsel's decision not to object to the use of the phrase during closing argument was reasonable. Therefore, we conclude that the District Court did not err when it found that Dawson's counsel did not render ineffective assistance when they failed to object during closing argument. ś 107 Finally, Dawson argues that his counsel were ineffective because they did not object to Dr. Van Hassel's testimony that Dawson was capable of acting with purpose and knowledge, the required mental state. Dawson contends that his counsel should have objected on the basis that the testimony was a product of a psychiatric evaluation conducted in violation of Dawson's constitutional rights. ś 108 As we previously discussed, an objection to Dr. Van Hassel's testimony on the basis that the testimony was a product of a psychiatric evaluation conducted in violation of Dawson's constitutional rights, would not have been successful because the evaluation complied with the Montana statutory scheme at the time of the evaluation and at trial. Accordingly, we conclude that Dawson's counsel were not ineffective because they did not object to the testimony.