Opinion ID: 1628268
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Failure to Present Video of Police Interview

Text: Mr. Strong claims that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to present, during the penalty phase, a videotaped statement that Mr. Strong made to police. In the statement, Mr. Strong admitted that he must have killed the victims. He also stated he was sorry but did not know why he was sorry. The tape was filled with contradictory statements. Trial counsel stated that showing the video during the penalty phase would have been inconsistent with counsel's guilt phase strategy and would have made the jury think that the wool was getting pulled over their eyes. Trial counsel noted that Mr. Strong blamed Ms. Washington for killing Zandrea, denied the killings, and stated he did not remember the murders during the videotaped statement. Trial counsel felt there was too much negative information to utilize the videotape during the penalty phase. The record demonstrates that trial counsel acted professionally in making decisions, and trial counsel's decision not to seek admission of a video containing many contradictory statements fails to establish ineffective assistance of counsel.