Opinion ID: 1604711
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The C.I.'s Previous Trips to Liddell's House

Text: ¶ 11. Liddell next argues that her attorney erred during his cross-examination of the C.I. by eliciting testimony about several previous drug buys from Liddell. However, we can not rule out the possibility that the cross-examination was a sound trial strategy, designed to raise reasonable doubt in the minds of the jurors as to whose drugs the C.I. actually purchased. In fact, during closing argument, Liddell's attorney stated: He [the C.I.] testified to you truthfully somewhat, crack ring. All around. People in and out. I counted eight until I put my hand down. And somebody in a wheel chair, John. . . . [Y]ou don't go thinking, well, she probably did. Maybe she did. Well, she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Man, they got a lot of bad stuff going on. She should have known better. That's not the law. The law is, when you bring charges against somebody, you need to prove every element of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt! You have to show that she sell [sic], transferred or delivered cocaine! You have to show that the sell [sic], transferred or delivered the other drug, the footballs, or whatever you want to call them. Not assume. They assumed it was her house. No. She was there. Everybody was there. A lot of people were there . . . Well, this is in the neighborhood stuff. In the neighborhood stuff. You in the wrong place. That's good enough. You in the wrong place. That's good enough for proof. Well, I don't want to hear no more. ¶ 12. We cannot rule out the possibility that Liddell's attorney elicited testimony about previous drug buys from her house and neighborhood in an attempt to raise reasonable doubt in the minds of the jurors. Accordingly, we hold that Liddell's attorney's actions in this area fell within the wide range of reasonable professional assistance.