Opinion ID: 1831577
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Admission of the Photograph of the Victim Taken Prior to Her Death.

Text: ¶ 29. Walker's next claim is that trial counsel was ineffective in failing to object to the admission of a photograph of Konya Edwards taken prior to her death. Appellate counsel did raise this claim on direct appeal and initially the Court held the claim to be barred for the failure to object. However, the Court then alternatively addressed the merits of the claim and held it to be without merit. See Walker, 671 So.2d at 600-01. Since the claim was alternatively held to be without merit on direct appeal, Walker cannot demonstrate the requisite prejudice to demonstrate a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel. Walker has not shown that a reasonable probability exists that the results of his trial would have been different absent counsel's failure to object to the photograph which had been used to identify the victim. Further, he has not shown that the trial court would have excluded the photograph over the objection of trial counsel. ¶ 30. Having failed to show both deficient performance and actual prejudice, Walker has failed to demonstrate that he received ineffective assistance of counsel by the failure to object to the introduction of the photograph of Konya Edwards prior to her death. This claim of ineffective assistance of counsel is totally without merit. Walker is not entitled to seek relief on this claim of ineffective assistance of counsel.