Opinion ID: 1100544
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Ineffective Assistance of Preindictment Counsel

Text: In his motion, Philmore asserted that preindictment representation by attorney John Hetherington was ineffective assistance of counsel for several reasons: (1) Hetherington failed to investigate Philmore's case before advising Philmore to give incriminating statements to police; (2) Hetherington allowed Philmore to give incriminating statements to police after Hetherington knew Philmore would implicate himself in Perron's murder; (3) Hetherington was not present when Philmore gave statements to police; and (4) Hetherington failed to secure a plea agreement prior to allowing Philmore to give statements to police. The trial court addressed this claim in a comprehensive order that included ten pages of detailed findings. We commend the trial court for conducting a thorough, well-reasoned analysis of this claim and conclude that the trial court's determination that Hetherington's actions were informed, strategic choices is supported by competent, substantial evidence. [6] At the hearing, Hetherington testified at length regarding his decisions during his representation of Philmore. Although Hetherington could not recall exactly when in the sequence of Philmore's confessions he learned of specific pieces of information, Hetherington consistently testified that his advice to Philmore to cooperate was based on Philmore's statements, first that Philmore was not involved in the abduction and then that Philmore was not the shooter. Hetherington also testified that while he views information given by defendants with some skepticism, he believed Philmore because Hetherington had information that Spann was wanted for other murders. After it became apparent that Philmore had lied about his lack of involvement in the abduction, Hetherington admonished Philmore about telling Hetherington the truth. Hetherington believed that Philmore understood the importance of being honest and would no longer be untruthful. Hetherington also advised Philmore not to speak with law enforcement officers or submit to polygraph examinations if Philmore was not being candid about his role in Perron's murder. Philmore nonetheless chose to make statements to law enforcement officers. Philmore presented no evidence to rebut Hetherington's testimony that Philmore wanted to speak to law enforcement officers even after counsel advised him of the risk. Moreover, Philmore's first statement to police after Hetherington began representing him was consistent with what Philmore had told Hetheringtonthat he was not involved in Perron's abduction or murder. It was Philmore's spontaneous statement prior to the first polygraph examination that exposed his deceit. The trial court found that even if Hetherington had been present at this time, Hetherington could not have stopped Philmore from admitting that he was present during the abduction. [7] Hetherington testified that after Philmore's first confession about his involvement in the abduction, Hetherington had to reevaluate his strategy. Hetherington stated that he believed that if Philmore was not the shooter, Philmore's best chance to avoid the death penalty was to present Philmore as a cooperating nonshooter who played a minor role in the felony murder. Once Philmore admitted he was the shooter, Hetherington believed that Philmore had nothing to lose by making additional statements to law enforcement officers. In sum, the evidence presented at the hearing supports the trial court's finding that Mr. Hetherington's actions ... were informed, strategic choices, based on the information that Mr. Hetherington had at the time, which were substantially influenced by the Defendant's own statements and wishes, which seemed reasonable in consideration of all the facts and circumstances known to Mr. Hetherington at the time each statement was made. Accordingly, Philmore has failed to establish that Hetherington provided ineffective assistance of counsel. See Occhicone v. State, 768 So.2d 1037, 1048 (Fla.2000) ([S]trategic decisions do not constitute ineffective assistance of counsel if alternative courses have been considered and rejected and counsel's decision was reasonable under the norms of professional conduct.).