Opinion ID: 1426947
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 17

Heading: Failing to present more evidence of the victim's character and of the prison's role in the crime.

Text: Leonard complains that his counsel did not present Wright's prison record or testimony by more inmates to further attack Wright's character. He considers even more egregious counsel's failure to pursue the prison's involvement in Wright's death. He asserts that the jury should have been instructed that this involvement was a possible specific mitigating circumstance. The jury heard a great deal of evidence concerning Wright's character during both the guilt and penalty phases, and Leonard fails to show how further evidence on this subject would have made a difference. The jury also learned that prison staff, specifically CO Bascus, had negligently allowed Leonard access to Wright. We fail to see how this negligence mitigates Leonard's crime in the least. In referring to the involvement of the prison in Wright's death, Leonard seems to be relying on his theory that Senior CO Edwards intentionally instigated a fight between Wright and Leonard. To reiterate, this is rank speculation void of credibility. We conclude that no ineffective assistance of counsel occurred in this regard.