Opinion ID: 1768076
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Gilbert Jones

Text: Bowling argues that his trial counsel was ineffective for failing to call Gilbert Jones as a witness. We disagree. Bowling, Chappell, and Jones were all held at the Laurel County Jail at the same time. Before Bowling's trial, Jones informed Bowling's defense counsel that he heard Chappell say that he (Chappell) intended to make up information about Bowling in order to help himself. Thus, this testimony would have impeached Chappell's testimony to a degree. At the evidentiary hearing on Bowling's RCr 11.42 motion, defense counsel testified that he thought that Jones's testimony would have been unpersuasive because he would have had to argue, Don't believe this felon [Chappell], believe my felon [Jones]. Based on this testimony, the trial court ruled that the decision not to call Jones was reasonable trial strategy. Bowling argues that this ruling was incorrect because it ignores the value of Jones's testimony relative to the value of Chappell's testimony. Bowling argues that, because Chappell stood to gain something and Jones did not, the jury would have believed Jones instead of Chappell. Further, Bowling argues that, had defense counsel properly investigated Chappell, counsel would have discovered that Chappell had in fact traded his testimony for lenient treatment. This, Bowling argues, would have made Chappell less credible than Jones. We do not believe that Bowling has overcome the strong presumption that counsel was effective in connection with this issue. See Strickland, 466 U.S. at 690, 104 S.Ct. at 2066, 80 L.Ed.2d at 695. Therefore, we hold that the decision not to call Jones as a witness was not ineffective assistance of counsel.