Opinion ID: 2089125
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Detective Curcio

Text: Appellant also contends that trial counsel was ineffective for calling Detective Kenneth Curcio to testify at trial. Detective Curcio testified that Allen Carson had given a statement shortly after the shooting in which he stated that appellant was standing apart from the other assailants at the time of the shooting and was merely leaning against a street pole. However, appellant contends that trial counsel should not have called Detective Curcio to read the statement because Carson stated in the prior statement that appellant was acting as a lookout. Given the choice between testimony which placed appellant in the midst of the group of assailants or testimony that placed appellant apart but speculated that he may have been acting as a lookout, it was reasonable for counsel to opt for the second alternative. Testimony that appellant was standing off on his own leaning against a pole was consistent with the defense of mere presence. Furthermore, regardless of Carson's speculations as to appellant's purpose in leaning against the pole, the statement was inconsistent with Carson's testimony at trial and therefore called into question the credibility of Carson's testimony in its entirety. Because counsel had a reasonable basis for calling Detective Curcio, he was not ineffective.