Opinion ID: 2497384
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Ineffective Development of Misidentification Defense

Text: Rimmer contends that counsel was ineffective in developing and presenting the defense theory of misidentification. Specifically, Rimmer argues that counsel failed to properly investigate and present his prior medical records from the Florida Department of Corrections (DOC), failed to rebut the testimony of Detective Kelley, and failed to obtain an eyewitness identification expert. We conclude that each of these claims is without merit. Rimmer, who contends that he must wear prescription eyeglasses in order to see properly, argues that counsel was ineffective because he failed to use Rimmer's DOC medical records in aid of his defense that he was not the shooter. Rimmer states that he is unable to wear contacts because of corneal ulcers, and argues that the DOC records would have aided his defense by demonstrating his dependence upon prescription glasses and enhancing trial testimony that the shooter did not wear glasses. At the evidentiary hearing, counsel testified that he did not want to use Rimmer's DOC records to support the misidentification defense because doing so would have alerted the jury to the fact that Rimmer previously spent time in prison. In its order denying postconviction relief, the circuit court concluded that counsel's failure to use the DOC records did not amount to deficient performance. The court noted that rather than make the jury aware of Rimmer's prison record, counsel chose to introduce more recent testimony about Rimmer's eyesight through two witnesses. One of these witnesses was an optician who filled an eyeglasses prescription for Rimmer less than three months before the murders, and the other witness was an optometrist who had examined Rimmer's vision and testified that Rimmer required corrective lenses in order to see properly. The optometrist testified that Rimmer's eyesight was 20/400 and that Rimmer was legally blind without corrected vision. Without corrected vision, the optometrist said, Rimmer would have to squint and get close to an object to see it, and also would be unable to drive without getting into an accident. The court concluded that counsel's decision to introduce the testimony of these witnesses instead of the DOC records was a well-reasoned decision. Competent, substantial evidence in the record supports the court's findings, and we agree with the circuit court's conclusion that counsel's performance was not deficient. Therefore, we find no merit in Rimmer's claim. Next, Rimmer argues that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to rebut the testimony of Officer Kelley. Kelley was one of the officers involved in the high-speed chase that led to Rimmer's arrest on May 10, 1998, and he was originally called as a State witness to testify about that pursuit. However, the State recalled Kelley as a rebuttal witness in order to counter the testimony offered by the defense regarding Rimmer's eyesight. The State used Kelley, whose uncorrected vision was 20/300, to testify that although objects and people appeared blurry without his eyeglasses, he could still see them. Thus, the inference that the State hoped the jury would draw was that because the vision-impaired Kelley could see without his eyeglasses, so could Rimmer. Defense counsel contemporaneously objected to Kelley's testimony and moved for a mistrial that was denied by the trial court. On direct appeal, this Court concluded that the admission of Kelley's rebuttal testimony was erroneous, but that in light of the evidence of Rimmer's guilt, there was no reasonable possibility that the erroneous admission ... contributed to the verdict. Rimmer, 825 So.2d at 322 (citing State v. DiGuilio, 491 So.2d 1129, 1135 (Fla.1986)). At the evidentiary hearing, Rimmer introduced the testimony of Dr. Darrell Teppler, who stated that Kelley's testimony about his own eyesight could have led the jury to make an erroneous conclusion about Rimmer's eyesight. Rimmer now argues that the failure to use testimony like that of Dr. Teppler to rebut Kelley's testimony amounted to ineffective assistance of counsel. Because we have determined that the admission of Kelley's rebuttal testimony was harmless error, Rimmer cannot demonstrate prejudice under the second prong of Strickland. See, e.g., Cox v. State, 966 So.2d 337, 347-48 (Fla.2007). Therefore, Rimmer is not entitled to relief. [9] Additionally, Rimmer argues that counsel was ineffective for failing to obtain an expert who would challenge the eyewitnesses' identifications. At the evidentiary hearing, Rimmer's expert testified that eyewitness identifications are generally unreliable, especially in stressful situations. The trial court rejected this claim of ineffective assistance of counsel and noted that counsel continually challenged the identification of the Defendant prior to and during trial. Because counsel conducted an effective cross-examination of the eyewitnesses and consistently attacked the eyewitness identifications and the process of making those identifications, Rimmer has not demonstrated that he was prejudiced by counsel's failure to obtain an eyewitness identification expert. See Rose v. State, 617 So.2d 291, 297 (Fla.1993). Consequently, Rimmer is not entitled to relief.