Opinion ID: 1093261
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: was fisher denied effective assistance of counsel?

Text: H.C. Watkins was appointed to defend Fisher in both the Weathers' murder trial and the present case. After this Court overturned Fisher's conviction in the Weathers' case, Watkins asked leave of the court to withdraw, which was granted. At a pre-trial hearing in the present case, Watkins freely admitted that he had concentrated exclusively on the Weathers' case and done no work at all on the current rape charge. The Sixth Amendment right to a fair trial for criminal defendants includes the right to effective assistance of counsel. E.g., Powell v. Alabama, 287 U.S. 45, 53 S.Ct. 55, 77 L.Ed. 158 (1932). In Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984), the Supreme Court laid down a two-part test to determine whether or not a criminal defendant had been denied effective assistance of counsel. First, the defendant must show that counsel's performance was deficient.... Second, the defendant must show the deficient performance prejudiced the defense. 466 U.S. at 687, 104 S.Ct. at 2064, 80 L.Ed.2d at 693. In order to make the requisite showing of prejudice, the defendant must show that there is a reasonable probability that but for counsel's unprofessional errors the result would have been different. 466 U.S. at 694, 104 S.Ct. at 2068, 80 L.Ed.2d at 698. Mississippi, of course, applies the Strickland test when the issue is raised in its courts. E.g. Merritt v. State, 517 So.2d 517, (Miss. 1987); Ferguson v. State, 507 So.2d 94 (Miss. 1987); King v. State, 503 So.2d 271 (Miss. 1987). Fisher argues that Watkins' performance was deficient. Obviously it was since Watkins admitted on the stand that he had done no work whatsoever on the present case before being relieved of it. However, the second prong of the Strickland test,  prejudice to the defendant  cannot be shown as easily. If Watkins, by his omissions, had created a situation so bad that his successor could not repair the damage, we would have little trouble in holding the second element of the Strickland test satisfied. But the record before us does not indicate that Watkins' successor was affected by his predecessor's inaction one way or another. Therefore, we cannot say that Watkins' performance prejudiced Fisher under the terms of Strickland. Accordingly, this assignment of error must fail.