Opinion ID: 1753481
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Learning Disability Expert

Text: Glass also alleged, and the motion court found, that counsel was ineffective for failing to elicit testimony from Dr. Teresa Burns, a speech and language pathologist, who evaluated Glass after trial. Dr. Burns reviewed background materials, including medical and school records and teachers' depositions. She administered standardized tests showing that Glass' aptitude functioning is well-below age level in almost all areas, including reasoning skills, concept formation, and written language. The state argues that Glass' learning deficits did not cause him to commit the murder and that, as a result, Glass' intellectual deficits are not mitigating. It is well-established that evidence of impaired intellectual functioning is valid mitigating evidence in the penalty phase of capital case, regardless of whether defendant has established a nexus between his mental capacity and crime. Hutchison, 150 S.W.3d at 305. Additionally, although Dr. Burns did not evaluate Glass until after trial, this fact does not necessarily preclude a finding that counsel was ineffective for failing to offer Dr. Burns' testimony. Counsel can be held ineffective even if there is no claim that counsel knew about a specific expert prior to trial. Id. at 307. The motion court did not clearly err in granting relief on this claim.