Opinion ID: 2653892
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Failure to Communicate and Investigate

Text: Howard’s second argument, which is largely derivative of his first one, is that his counsel provided ineffective assistance by failing to communicate with Howard and adequately investigate the merits of objecting to Paragraph 38. Specifically, Howard testified that he wrote his counsel several letters to which there was no response. R. 95 at 53:15–24 (Remand Hr’g Tr.) (Page ID #490). In those letters and in phone calls from friends and family, Howard requested that counsel object to the court’s consideration of any of Howard’s juvenile history. Id. at 56:6–20 (Page ID #493). These requests also went unanswered. At the sentencing hearing, Howard admits, his counsel did object to several paragraphs in the PSR—though not Paragraph 38. But in his briefing before this court, Howard alleges that his attorney ignored Paragraph 38 because “trial counsel failed to fully investigate” Howard’s juvenile history, including the nature of his placement at Glen Mills. Pet’r Br. at 13. Therefore, Howard asserts that counsel’s failure to object was due to incompetence and inadequate preparation, not because the objection was frivolous or part of a strategy. If true, these allegations are deeply troubling. Counsel has an ethical obligation to “keep the client reasonably informed about the status of [his] matter” and “promptly [to] comply with reasonable requests for information.” Model Rules of Prof’l Conduct R. 1.4(a)(3)–(4). An attorney cannot agree to represent a defendant and then ignore that defendant completely. A defendant has the right to be part of his defense. Likewise, an attorney must “act with reasonable diligence and promptness in representing a client.” Rule 1.3. Counsel cannot blunder into court without having performed basic research and preparation. See. e.g., Wiggins v. Smith, 539 U.S. 510, 534–35 (2003) (failure to investigate held to be ineffective assistance); Williams v. Taylor, 529 U.S. 362, 395 (2000) (failure to investigate and present mitigating evidence at sentencing held to be ineffective assistance); Carter v. Bell, 218 F.3d 581, 596 (6th Cir. 2000) (“While we understand the great burdens on appointed trial counsel in capital cases . . . , justice requires that counsel must do more than appear in court . . . .”). That said, we recognize No. 13-1602 Howard v. United States Page 14 that counsel cannot be expected to present every argument suggested by a defendantclient, knowing that at least some are futile. Whether the actions of Howard’s counsel qualify as constitutionally deficient representation is not an easy question. We need not answer it now because Howard cannot make his required showing of prejudice. Under Strickland, Howard must demonstrate a reasonable probability that, but for his counsel’s failure to prepare and to communicate with Howard, the outcome of his sentencing hearing would be different. See 466 U.S. at 694. Howard claims that this unprofessional behavior resulted in his attorney not objecting to Paragraph 38 at the sentencing hearing. As discussed above, however, counsel’s failure to object to Paragraph 38 does not qualify, in this case, as constitutionally deficient performance. Whether counsel failed to object because he knew an objection would not succeed or he was just lucky makes no difference. Howard offers no other explanation for how his sentencing hearing would have turned out differently if his attorney had properly researched Howard’s stay at Glen Mills or communicated with him. Therefore, Howard’s second argument fails.