Opinion ID: 1465675
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Failure to Impeach Stepmother's Testimony

Text: In the first trial, Mr. Johnson's stepmother, Sharon Johnston, identified the bloody green shirt found in the woods as belonging to Mr. Johnson. Ms. Johnston died before the second trial commenced, and her testimony from the first trial was read into the record to the jury. Mr. Johnson argues that his counsel was ineffective in failing to impeach his stepmother's testimony on account of bias. Mr. Johnson contends his stepmother was biased toward him because she was angry that he had taken her automobile, and that his aunt, Debra Johnson, could have been called to testify about this. At the Rule 37 hearing, Mr. Johnson argued that the evidence would have been admissible under Ark. R. Evid. 806, and under the rule that evidence of bias is always admissible. See, e.g., Dansby v. State, 319 Ark. 506, 893 S.W.2d 331 (1995). The trial court declined to find ineffective assistance of counsel because Rule 806 had to be read in conjunction with Rule 801(d)(2). However, Rule 806 refers to a hearsay statement, or a statement defined in Rule 801(d)(2)(iii), (iv), or (v). Mr. Johnson's argument is well-taken as regards the circuit court's interpretation of Rule 806. Clearly, Rule 806 is not required to be read in conjunction with Rule 801(d)(2). Nonetheless, Mr. Johnson's argument fails for another reason. While trial counsel David Clark testified at the Rule 37 hearing that he could have presented testimony from Debra Johnson that Mr. Johnson's stepmother was angry at him, Mr. Johnson failed to present the testimony of Debra Johnson herself, or any other evidence of the stepmother's anger and alleged bias. The statement of attorney Clark that he was told by Debra Johnson that Sharon Johnston was angry was rank hearsay. Moreover, Mr. Clark testified that, although he recalled the aunt, Debra Johnson, being aware of the stepmother's anger, he could have been wrong. There is no indication that Debra Johnson was unavailable to testify at the Rule 37 hearing about Sharon Johnston's supposed bias, but she did not testify and no affidavit in support of Mr. Johnson's contentions was provided by her to the circuit court. The circuit court was not provided any real evidence at the Rule 37 hearing that the stepmother was, in fact, angry or biased. Before Mr. Johnson can show trial counsel was deficient for failing to impeach the stepmother for bias, he must first present evidence that there was bias. He did not do so. Furthermore, Mr. Johnson alleges no prejudice as required by Strickland , but merely states that it is ineffective assistance of counsel to fail to impeach with available evidence. Mr. Johnson's argument fails, and the trial court is affirmed on this point.