Opinion ID: 2378907
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Failing to Call Terry Westbrook

Text: Shurn contends that defense counsel was ineffective for failing to call Terry Westbrook, who would have testified that Taylor always carried a gun in a decoy Bible. Shurn claims that this would have rebutted evidence of Taylor's religious nature and of his motive for carrying a gun. Shurn did not mention Terry Westbrook in his motions for post-conviction relief, which stated that Lorenzo Westbrook would have been able to corroborate movant's defense, and that Lorenzo Westbrook could have substantiated Shurn's good character and testified that Taylor threatened Shurn. Shurn's motions do not even mention Terry Westbrook. Claims of ineffective assistance of counsel that are raised for the first time on appeal are procedurally barred, and this Court will not consider such claims. Ervin, 835 S.W.2d at 929. Even assuming that it is the same person, Shurn's post-conviction motions do not allege Westbrook could testify that Taylor always carried a gun and a decoy Bible to conceal it. This Court will not consider this new claim. Id. Additionally, trial counsel's failure to call Westbrook was reasonable trial strategy. Trial counsel testified that, in his opinion, Westbrook would not have been a good witness and that Westbrook gave defense counsel the impression he did not want to testify.