Opinion ID: 1094862
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 16

Heading: Failure to Make an Offer of Proof

Text: Cole contends he was prevented from introducing, in mitigation of his sentence, testimony of his religious convictions and testimony reflecting the effect on him of the death of his step-child. Certain testimony along these lines from Purvis Davis and Evalena Jackson, two witnesses produced by the defense during the sentence-determination phase, was excluded by the trial judge on the grounds of hearsay. First, Cole claims that Davis was precluded from testifying with regard to conversations he had with Cole about religion. Second, Cole argues that Jackson was prevented from testifying about Cole's statements concerning the death of his step-child. Cole says that trial counsel was ineffective because he failed to make an offer of proof at trial. Cole has failed to allege with specificity the expected content of their testimony. Consequently, we can not make any determination whether it would imply prejudice to his case. It is enough to say that Davis did testify about Cole's church habits, and testimony concerning the effect of the step-child's death was elicited from two other witnesses, Ms. Mooney and Mr. Davis. No prejudice has been alleged or demonstrated where, as here, the mitigating evidence concerning religious background and belief and evidence of the defendant's grief after the death of Cole's step-child was adequately established via the testimony of other witnesses. Defense counsel's failure to make an offer of proof did not create the prejudice necessary to establish an ineffective assistance of counsel claim.