Opinion ID: 1664907
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Failure to File a Sentencing Memorandum

Text: Israel asserts that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to file a sentencing memorandum with the trial court. The record indicates that the State submitted a sentencing memorandum arguing for the death penalty a month before the Spencer hearing. At the Spencer hearing, the court requested defense counsel to provide a sentencing memorandum analyzing the aggravating and mitigating factors. Despite this request, counsel never filed a sentencing memorandum. Further, at the subsequent sentencing hearing, counsel's only argument was an objection to the sentencing recommendations contained in the presentencing investigation report. In response to the court's questioning, counsel stated that there was nothing else he wanted to bring to the court's attention. At the postconviction evidentiary hearing, counsel stated that he did not file a written sentencing memo because he felt he could articulate the arguments for a life sentence better verbally. Counsel could not explain why he did not make a verbal argument for a life sentence or why he did not submit a sentencing memo. However, Israel did not present any new mitigating evidence at the postconviction hearing, and the testimony and diagnoses of the postconviction experts mirrored those of Dr. Krop during the penalty phase of trial. As discussed above, while counsel's failure in this regard may have been deficient, we do not find that Israel was prejudiced by counsel's conduct. The sentencing order indicates that the court considered all of the evidence presented during the various proceedings. Further, the postconviction order notes that the court heard and considered testimony presented at various stages of the proceedings going to non-statutory mitigators, including Mr. Israel's drug abuse, brain damage, low intellectual functioning as well as Mr. Israel's character, background, record and other circumstances surrounding the offense, but [chose] to assign no weight to non-statutory mitigating circumstances. The court independently identif[ied] and weigh[ed] the mitigating and aggravating factors in determining whether to impose the death penalty. Thus, counsel's failure to file a sentencing memorandum did not result in prejudice to Israel.