Opinion ID: 2361087
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Inadequate Preparation for Trial

Text: Gattis argues that his counsel unreasonably and prejudicially failed properly and adequately to prepare for trial. Specifically, Gattis contends that his attorneys (a) failed to determine and develop adequately his version of the facts; (b) failed to interview the relevant witnesses; (c) failed to use the available means of discovering exculpatory physical and testimonial evidence; (d) failed to make appropriate objections during the course of trial; and (e) did not have any unified theory of defense to the charges brought against him. In Riley v. State , this Court stated, Effective representation by counsel depends upon `adequate investigation and pre-trial preparation.' [41] For Gattis to prevail, he must show that counsel's actions fell short of an objectively reasonable standard and that there is a reasonable probability that, had it not been for counsel's deficient conduct, the results at trial would have been different. A `reasonable probability' is defined as a probability sufficient to undermine confidence in the outcome of the trial. [42] Gattis must also overcome the strong presumption that counsel's conduct fell within a wide range of reasonable professional assistance. [43] For the reasons that follow, we conclude that Gattis' counsel's trial preparation did not fall below standard and did not cause Gattis to suffer actual prejudice. To evaluate counsel's pretrial preparation, the Superior Court granted Gattis' request for funds to recreate the crime scene and have the viability of his accident defense evaluated by Mr. Stuart H. James, a nationally known forensic consultant. Additionally, the Superior Court requested and received sworn affidavits from counsel for Gattis attesting to the investigative measures they undertook. [44] Mr. James reported that he could not affirmatively say, with any scientific certainty, that the evidence as recreated weighed in favor of an accidental rather than an intentional shooting or that the shot was fired while Gattis was pushing on the door with his right hand around the door rather than while encountering the victim face to face. [45] Thus, the Superior Court concluded that even if Mr. James had testified at trial, his testimony would have added no weight to Gattis' accident theory and would not have changed the outcome of his trial. According to the affidavits supplied by Gattis' trial counsel, Gattis at first claimed that he believed an unknown third person shot Ms. Slay. Because of his initial assertion, counsel did not develop an accident theory of the case. It was not until the trial was well under way that Gattis gave counsel any indication that his gun may have discharged accidentally. The affidavits further reflect that counsel took the following actions before and during trial: (a) they met with Gattis to discuss trial strategy, including the feasibility of constructing and presenting an accident defense once sufficient facts became known; (b) they interviewed neighbors and visited the crime scene, obtaining measurements of the layout of the apartment in the area of the apartment door; (c) they considered the need for a forensic expert to reconstruct what may have occurred immediately before the shooting but ultimately rejected the idea; and (d) they reviewed the physical evidence at police headquarters. Gattis further argues that the State presented and the Superior Court adopted a factual version of the shooting that was physically impossible and absolutely insupportable, i.e., that Gattis kicked in the door, confronted Ms. Slay face to face and then shot her, execution style, directly between the eyes. This Court remanded the case to the Superior Court for further investigation into whether the State's theory of the case was impossible. At trial, the State's theory of the case was that Gattis returned to Ms. Slay's apartment, kicked in the door, pointed his gun in her face and fired. Gattis, on the other hand, admitted to kicking in her door but contended that the gun discharged accidentally while he was standing behind the door and that he never saw Ms. Slay. [46] Dr. Inguito, the medical examiner, testified at trial that Gattis' position at the time of the shooting could not be determined, but that the bullet wound on the bridge of Ms. Slay's nose was consistent with either the victim and the assailant facing each other or with the assailant reaching around a partially open door and firing. [47] Upon remand, the Superior Court conducted a hearing on this issue. At the hearing, Mr. James, the forensic consultant, stated that, in his opinion, Ms. Slay's apartment door was open no wider than twelve inches, that Ms. Slay was standing behind the door when she was shot and that she fell where she stood. He testified that, based upon the foregoing, it was not plausible that the door was open fully when the shot was fired, which, Gattis argues, was part of the State's theory of how the shooting took place. [48] Although the State argued that the shooting was intentional and occurred while Gattis and Ms. Slay were face to face, the State never presented testimony from its witnesses nor offered any argument by prosecutors asserting that the door was fully open when the face-to-face confrontation took place. [49] The State's witnesses testified at the hearing after remand that, based on reenactments they had performed to prepare for the hearing, the assailant could have partially entered Ms. Slay's apartment even if the door had opened only twelve inches. [50] In addition, there was some dispute about the significance of the pattern of high velocity back spatter, or the pattern of blood on the walls resulting from the bullet's impact with the victim. The investigators found back spatter on Ms. Slay's telephone receiver but not on the apartment door, the nearby closet wall or the floor near the doorway. Mr. James concluded that the pattern of blood suggested that Ms. Slay may not have been standing near the door when she was shot. In sum, Mr. James could not determine, to any degree of scientific certainty, whether Gattis entered the apartment and shot Ms. Slay while standing face to face with her, or whether he reached his head and right arm through the door and fired or whether he entered the apartment at all. [51] Based on this testimony, the Superior Court determined that even if [Mr.] James had testified at trial, his opinion about the door would have had little effect on the plausibility of Gattis' accident defense. [52] The Superior Court further found that Mr. James' testimony about the back spatter would have allowed the State to argue that such testimony was inconsistent with Gattis' own testimony that Ms. Slay was very close to the door when she was shot. [53] Thus, the Superior Court concluded, the crux of [Mr.] James' testimony was that Gattis' version was more plausible than the State's, but that [Mr. James] could not say that the State's version was impossible. Viewing these opinions in light of the other testimonial and physical evidence, the Court concludes that [Mr.] James' testimony would not have altered the result at trial. [54] Reviewing the totality of the evidence offered by the State and the defense, we are satisfied that the Superior Court did not abuse its discretion when it denied Gattis' motions for postconviction relief based on ineffective assistance of counsel. Gattis has not shown what evidence or course of action his attorneys should have presented or undertaken that would have resulted in a different outcome at trial. Nor has he shown that Mr. James would demonstrate that the State's theory of an intentional, face-to-face, execution style slaying was impossible. At trial, Gattis presented his accident defense. The jury did not accept his theory. On appeal, Gattis provides no basis for this Court to find that any lack of preparation by trial counsel caused the jury to reach a verdict it would not otherwise have reached. Accordingly, we find that Gattis' argument that he received ineffective assistance of counsel fails.