Opinion ID: 1853745
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Failure to Investigate and Present Evidence of Alcohol Abuse or Dependency in Support of the Impaired Capacity Mitigator

Text: Pooler next argues that counsel was ineffective for failing to investigate and present evidence of his history of alcohol abuse and dependency in support of the impaired capacity mitigator. See Stewart v. State, 558 So.2d 416 (Fla.1990). As evidence, Pooler cites the police report he made hours before the murders, the testimony of Detective Alonzo, and the letters from his nephews, Brian and Darren Warren. In addition, Pooler's postconviction expert, Dr. Michael Brannon, testified that he diagnosed Pooler with alcohol dependency disorder and hepatitis C. The postconviction trial court denied this claim because Salnick conducted a reasonable investigation and successfully prevented the State from obtaining an instruction on the cold, calculated, and premeditated (CCP) aggravating circumstance by introducing evidence during the penalty phase that Pooler had been drinking two days before the murder when he threatened to kill Kim Brown. We affirm the trial court's conclusion. First, Salnick's performance was not deficient. As stated earlier, Salnick conducted a reasonable investigation into Pooler's background. Neither Pooler nor his family indicated to Salnick that he had a substance abuse problem or that he had been drinking at the time of the shooting. However, Salnick discovered that Pooler had been drinking two days before the murder when he threatened to kill Kim Brown. He used this information during the penalty phase to prevent the State from obtaining an instruction on CCP. Further, Salnick testified at the evidentiary hearing that he chose not to introduce Pooler's police report during the penalty phase because it would open the door for the State to cross-examine Pooler regarding the fact that he had been with a prostitute when he passed out drunk and that she stole his money. This was a reasonable tactical decision made after a reasonable investigation; therefore, Salnick's performance was not deficient. See Occhicone v. State, 768 So.2d 1037, 1048 (Fla. 2000) ([S]trategic decisions do not constitute ineffective assistance of counsel if alternative courses have been considered and rejected and counsel's decision was reasonable under the norms of professional conduct.). Moreover, as discussed earlier, none of the evidence introduced by Pooler at the evidentiary hearing shows that he was intoxicated at the time of the murder. Therefore, any alleged failure on Salnick's part to investigate and present it at trial was not prejudicial.