Opinion ID: 161004
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Failure to Object to Hearsay Confession Letter

Text: 25 Gonzales argues that defense counsel's failure to object to the letter written by Gonzales's cellmate, Jack Spears, was error under the first prong of Strickland. The letter alleged that Gonzales had confessed to the crime, offered a motive and description of Williamson's rape and murder, and asserted that Gonzales had other convictions for rape in Kansas and Texas. 2 Bahr made no objection when the State offered the letter into evidence, and it was therefore admitted. Bahr now concedes that he erred in failing to prevent the letter from being admitted, and that it served no strategic purpose in Gonzales's case. Bahr testified that he planned to cross-examine Spears on the letter when he was called to the stand, but that Spears prevented this by asserting his Fifth Amendment right not to testify. However, Bahr did not move to strike the letter from evidence even after Spears refused to testify. 26 The Kansas Court of Appeals held that Bahr's failure to object to the letter was error, but found that there was overwhelming evidence of guilt, and therefore the error was not prejudicial. Gonzales, No. 71,217, at 6. The federal district court agreed, concluding that the outcome of the trial would not have been different had the letter not been admitted. See Gonzales, 76 F. Supp. 2d at 1227. 27 We agree that Bahr's failure to object to the letter was error, because it was hearsay and could readily have been excluded. Pursuant to Fed. R. Evid. 801(c), hearsay is a statement, other than one made by the declarant while testifying at the trial or hearing, offered in evidence to prove the truth of the matter asserted. Spears's statements in the letter regarding Gonzales's alleged confession fit this definition. Given the clear availability of a hearsay objection, the lack of any strategic purpose for admitting the letter, and the potential importance of the letter to a jury's deliberations, we have little difficulty concluding Bahr's failure to object fell below an objective standard of reasonableness. Therefore, Gonzales has met the first prong of Strickland with respect to this issue.