Opinion ID: 2636938
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Counsel's failure to request psychiatric examination of Baros.

Text: Defendant urges alternatively that his trial counsel rendered constitutionally ineffective assistance by failing to request a psychiatric evaluation of Baros. However, given the considerations weighing against widespread use of court-ordered psychiatric examinations to determine testimonial qualifications (see text discussion, ante ), we cannot say on this record there was no reasonable basis for counsel's failure to request one. In any event, defendant fails to show prejudice from the omission. In the first place, the appellate record does not indicate whether a new psychiatric examination would have supported defendant's claim that Baros should not be allowed to testify about the murder of Mackey. (See, e.g., People v. Medina (1995) 11 Cal.4th 694, 773-774, 47 Cal. Rptr.2d 165, 906 P.2d 2 [appellate claim of ineffective assistance cannot be based on speculation about available evidence].) Moreover, for reasons already stated, it appears highly unlikely any psychiatric testimony would have altered the trial court's ruling on the narrow issues before it. As noted above, the court knew of Baros's delusions and emotional problems, but Baros communicated clearly and gave a plausible account of the murder, many details of which were corroborated by independent evidence. On that basis, the court deemed itself compelled to allow the jury to judge her credibility. The claim of ineffective assistance must therefore be rejected.