Opinion ID: 1100544
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Ineffective Assistance of Counsel in Conceding Philmore's Guilt

Text: In Philmore's final issue on appeal, he asserts that the trial court erred in denying his claim that trial counsel was ineffective during the guilt phase for conceding Philmore's guilt of the conspiracy to commit robbery, carjacking, kidnapping, and robbery charges, and to the lesser included offense of second-degree murder. The trial court found that the concessions were a reasonable trial tactic and that Philmore consented to this strategy. The only evidence presented at the evidentiary hearing on this issue was the testimony of Garland. He stated that because Philmore had already confessed to the murder and been sentenced to life imprisonment in another case, the strategy was to save Philmore's life. Although Garland could not remember the details of the discussions he and Chip Bauer had with Philmore about this strategy, Garland recalled Philmore being aware of and consenting to this strategy. Accordingly, there is competent, substantial evidence to support the trial court's finding that Philmore consented. Contrary to Philmore's assertion, this case is not like Nixon v. State, 857 So.2d 172 (Fla.2003), rev'd, Florida v. Nixon, 543 U.S. 175, 125 S.Ct. 551, 160 L.Ed.2d 565 (2004), on remand 932 So.2d 1009 (Fla. 2006). In Nixon, this Court concluded that no competent, substantial evidence existed to support the trial court's finding that Nixon consented to trial counsel's strategy of conceding guilt because trial counsel testified that Nixon did nothing when trial counsel discussed this strategy with him. See 857 So.2d at 176. In this case, Garland testified that Philmore expressly consented to the strategy to concede his guilt. Moreover, this Court's requirement in Nixon that a defendant must affirmatively and explicitly agree to a strategy to concede guilt was overruled by Florida v. Nixon, 543 U.S. 175, 125 S.Ct. 551, 563, 160 L.Ed.2d 565 (2004), in which the United States Supreme Court held: When counsel informs the defendant of the strategy counsel believes to be in the defendant's best interest and the defendant is unresponsive, counsel's strategic choice is not impeded by any blanket rule demanding the defendant's explicit consent. Instead, if counsel's strategy, given the evidence bearing on the defendant's guilt, satisfies the Strickland standard, that is the end of the matter; no tenable claim of ineffective assistance would remain. Accordingly, Philmore's reliance on this Court's 2003 decision in Nixon to support his claim of ineffective assistance is without merit. We affirm the trial court's denial of relief on this claim.