Opinion ID: 1621175
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: concession of guilt claim

Text: Holland's first claim of ineffective assistance of counsel is based on his trial counsel's concession of guilt to attempted first-degree murder without Holland's express, prior consent. We find that the standard in Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984), applies to this claim and that this claim is without merit. [4] This Court has recently reiterated the standard we apply to claims of ineffective assistance of counsel: Following the United States Supreme Court's decision in Strickland [v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984)], this Court held that for ineffective assistance of counsel claims to be successful, two requirements must be satisfied: A claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, to be considered meritorious, must include two general components. First, the claimant must identify particular acts or omissions of the lawyer that are shown to be outside the broad range of reasonably competent performance under prevailing professional standards. Second, the clear, substantial deficiency shown must further be demonstrated to have so affected the proceeding that confidence in the outcome is undermined. Maxwell v. Wainwright, 490 So.2d 927, 932 (Fla.1986). . . . [Furthermore] [t]he defendant alone carries the burden to overcome the presumption of effective assistance: [T]he defendant must overcome the presumption that, under the circumstances, the challenged action `might be considered sound trial strategy.' [ Strickland, 466 U.S. at 689-90, 104 S.Ct. 2052.] State v. Duncan, 894 So.2d 817, 823 (Fla. 2004), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 126 S.Ct. 397, 163 L.Ed.2d 275 (2005). Applying this standard to Holland's case shows that his argument is without merit. Defense counsel did not simply concede Holland's guilt. Instead, during closing argument, defense counsel acknowledged Holland's damaging trial testimony in which Holland effectively admitted each element of the crime, and counsel argued that Holland was not guilty by reason of insanity. Additionally, Holland's trial testimony was basically consistent with significant, damaging testimony from the victim and two eyewitnesses. Under the unique facts of this case, we conclude that defense counsel's assistance was reasonable considering all the circumstances. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 688, 104 S.Ct. 2052.