Opinion ID: 1888436
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: was appellate counsel ineffective in failing to raise trial counsel's failure to investigate and present significant mitigating evidence during appellant's penalty hearing including his background, early childhood, educational and developmental problems, military record, good character and reputation, traumatic experiences, and boxing-induced brain damage? [50]

Text: Appellant accuses appellate counsel of providing ineffective assistance for failing to argue on direct appeal a claim that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to conduct a complete investigation of Appellant's background in order to gather mitigating evidence for the penalty hearing. Appellant complains that trial counsel did not obtain any witnesses other than those suggested by Appellant or delve into Appellant's troubled childhood history, his educational background, the status of his mental health, or other areas relevant to mitigation. In addition, Appellant claims that trial counsel was ineffective for not introducing evidence that he had a good reputation for being peaceful and non-violent. Appellant's Brief, 53-69. Appellant's appellate counsel ineffectiveness claim fails. He failed to assert the underlying claim respecting trial counsel in a post-verdict motion and thus cannot establish that appellate counsel was ineffective. We therefore deny relief.
Appellant contends that appellate counsel were ineffective because they did not preserve for appellate review a claim that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to request that the penalty hearing be postponed. Appellant asserts that he was distraught and rendered incapable of communicating effectively and intelligently with trial counsel as a result of the guilty verdict. In addition, he claims that trial counsel should have requested a continuance because he was unprepared to represent Appellant during the penalty hearing. Appellant's Brief, 70-72. Appellant is not entitled to relief on this claim because he did not raise the underlying claim concerning trial counsel in a post-verdict motion.