Opinion ID: 2613581
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Did the trial court err in rejecting the defendant's claim for a new trial based on ineffective assistance of counsel?

Text: On March 31, 1995, after remand from this court, the same district court judge that presided at the trial held a hearing on Rice's claim of ineffective assistance of counsel. Willard Bunch, Rice's trial counsel, testified he has been a Missouri attorney since 1967, but is not licensed to practice in Kansas. About 80 percent of his law practice involves criminal defense. This was the second case he had tried in Kansas. On cross-examination, Bunch was shown to have extensive experience. He has tried over 300 criminal cases, represented defendants in 40 to 50 homicides, and previously tried 25 to 30 murder cases. He had earlier represented Rice in another state. He had the assistance of an investigator and had Kansas attorney Dave Clark as his local counsel. Bunch testified that Rice wanted to take the witness stand to testify that Lindy was alive the morning after he beat her. Rice also would have refuted key aspects of the children's testimony. However, Bunch knew Rice had numerous felony convictions and believed that if he had testified, all of those convictions could come into evidence, as he knew the rule to be in Missouri and in federal court. For that reason, Bunch advised Rice not to testify. Bunch stated he did not consult with Kansas counsel on the question. The admission of Rice's prior convictions was the only reason Bunch advised Rice not to take the witness stand. Had Bunch known the rule in Kansas, he testified he would not have hesitated to have Rice testify. Had Rice testified, Bunch said he would have questioned him about when Rice last saw Lindy, the nature of his relationship with Lindy's children, his actions the day of Lindy's disappearance, his burning of trash, and his redecoration of the house. Bunch admitted that much of what Rice would have testified to was before the jury in the form of testimony from other witnesses and through a newspaper article admitted into evidence, but not read to the jury, reporting on an interview with Rice. However, not all of what Rice would have said was introduced in this way, what was introduced was fragmented, and the jury was not permitted to determine Rice's credibility. Bunch testified that no evidence was introduced about Lindy's use of drugs, Rice's effort to stop the drug use and hide her drugs the night of their fight, and the fact that Lindy broke the china cabinet by throwing a pot at Rice. Bunch admitted that the primary trial strategy was to attempt to show Lindy was still alive, but that the jury obviously did not believe such evidence. He further admitted that Rice's demeanor was inappropriate at one time during the trial, but contended that was not the reason he advised Rice not to testify. Rice also testified at the ineffective assistance of counsel hearing. He denied that he had killed Lindy and said he had told his attorney his version of the events recited at trial. Rice testified that his decision not to testify at trial was based completely on his attorney's counsel that all of his prior convictions could come into evidence if he did. According to Rice, had he testified, he would have told the jury that Mark and Amanda were not afraid of him and that he did not remodel the house to destroy evidence and, in fact, still had the carpet that was removed. He would have testified that on September 13, 1992, Lindy was using methamphetamine at home and was drunk. Rice took the drugs outside to get rid of them, and Lindy followed. Once outside, a physical altercation erupted during which he hit Lindy. The fight continued inside the house. The next morning when he awoke, Lindy was asleep on the bathroom floor, where she had passed out after vomiting. Rice said when he came home late the night of September 14, he and Lindy again got into an argument about drugs, although according to Rice it was not physical. In the course of the argument, Lindy threw a pot at him that broke the china cabinet. He admitted he did drag Lindy up the stairs. He went into the bedroom and locked Lindy out. She attempted to get in but was not successful. That was the last contact Rice said he had with Lindy. Rice also would have denied operating a bulldozer during the time frame of Lindy's disappearance and would have contradicted some of the contents of the newspaper article admitted into evidence. He also would have testified that Mark had said he saw Lindy get into a car on the night she disappeared. The trial court received briefs from the parties and, on October 12, 1995, rendered the following decision, which in pertinent parts stated: Counsel agree Chamberlain v. State, 236 Kan. 650, 694 P.2d 468 (1985) adopting the standards set out in Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 80 L. Ed.2d 674, 104 S. Ct. 2052 (1984) states the test for determining ineffective assistance of counsel. Chamberlain states a two part test with the defendant having the burden to establish both parts. They are (1) counsel's performance was unreasonably deficient; and (2) The deficient performance prejudiced the defendant so as to deprive him of a fair trial. Defendant's trial attorney ... admitted he misunderstood the Kansas rule concerning the admissibility of the defendant's past criminal record if the defendant testified. He stated that had he understood the rule the defendant would have testified on his own behalf. The defendant also testified in support of his motion. He stated that he did not testify because he believed his past criminal record would come into evidence if he took the stand. He stated he reached the decision not to testify based on the advice of counsel and if he had known his record would probably not come in, he would have testified and denied committing the crime. This evidence was challenged by the State by reference to the record, the State's brief and on cross-examination. The evidence produced by the defendant is persuasive and is found by the Court to be true. The question left to be decided is whether or not this trial error is sufficient to satisfy both prongs of the test stated above. It is this Court's opinion that it does not. The Constitutions of the United States and of the State of Kansas are designed to guarantee criminal defendants fair trials not perfect trials. Was trial counsel's performance unreasonably deficient? No. Throughout the trial, defendant had the aid of well prepared, able and effective counsel. Trial counsel's performance was thoughtful and professional. He fully understood the state's case and effectively cross-examined the state's witnesses. His preparation of the defendant's case was similarly thoughtful and professional. The error to which he now confesses is serious but it is not sufficient for this Court to say his performance was unreasonably deficient. Having reached this conclusion, it is not necessary to address the record test. However, it should be clear that the Court's answer to that question would also be `No.' Counsel have been unable to cite to the Court a case reasonably on point and I have not been able to find one. I have read all of the cases cited by both the State and Defendant (citations omitted) and while they were useful in understanding Chamberlain, they do not control. The tests set out in Chamberlain were followed and applied. Motion for new trial on remand is denied. It is apparent the trial court properly utilized the tests of Strickland and Chamberlain in reaching its decision. Both parties on appeal, however, cite in their briefs Taylor v. State, 251 Kan. 272, 285, 834 P.2d 1325 (1992), and suggest our scope of review is whether the finding by the trial judge was an abuse of discretion. Rice also argues that because the trial court expressly accepted Rice's basic factual contentions and concluded those facts failed to warrant relief as a matter of law, we are obligated to make plenary review of this issue, citing State v. Field, 252 Kan. 657, 664, 847 P.2d 1280 (1993); State v. Sledd, 250 Kan. 15, 21, 825 P.2d 114, cert. denied 506 U.S. 849 (1992); City of Chanute v. Poison, 17 Kan. App.2d 159, 160, 836 P.2d 6 (1992). There is wording in Taylor v. State, 251 Kan. at 285, which would justify the belief that our scope of review of the trial court's decision on an ineffective assistance of counsel finding is whether that finding by the district judge was an abuse of discretion. However, a historical review of our decisions shows we have on appeal taken a considerably broader view of the issue. The two landmark cases on the issue of ineffective assistance of counsel are those considered and utilized by the trial court, Strickland and Chamberlain. Justice O'Connor, in writing for a 7 to 2 majority in Strickland, stated that before counsel's assistance is determined to be so defective as to require reversal, two components or prongs must be shown: First, the defendant must show that counsel's performance was deficient. This requires showing that counsel made errors so serious that counsel was not functioning as the `counsel' guaranteed the defendant by the Sixth Amendment. Second, the defendant must show that the deficient performance prejudiced the defense. This requires showing that counsel's errors were so serious as to deprive the defendant of a fair trial.... 466 U.S. at 687. Further, the Strickland majority opinion states: [T]he purpose of the effective assistance guarantee of the Sixth Amendment is not to improve the quality of legal representation, although that is a goal of considerable importance to the legal system. The purpose is simply to ensure that criminal defendants receive a fair trial. Judicial scrutiny of counsel's performance must be highly deferential. It is all too tempting for a defendant to second-guess counsel's assistance after conviction or adverse sentence, and it is all too easy for a court, examining counsel's defense after it has proved unsuccessful, to conclude that a particular act or omission of counsel was unreasonable. Cf. Engle v. Isaac, 456 U.S. 107, 133-134 (1982). A fair assessment of attorney performance requires that every effort be made to eliminate the distorting effects of hindsight, to reconstruct the circumstances of counsel's challenged conduct, and to evaluate the conduct from counsel's perspective at the time. Because of the difficulties inherent in making the evaluation, a court must indulge a strong presumption that counsel's conduct falls within the wide range of reasonable professional assistance; that is, the defendant must over come the presumption that, under the circumstances, the challenged action `might be considered sound trial strategy.' See Michel v. Louisiana, supra, at 101. There are countless ways to provide effective assistance in any given case. Even the best criminal defense attorneys would not defend a particular client in the same way. See Goodpaster, The Trial for Life: Effective Assistance of Counsel in Death Penalty Cases, 58 N.Y.U. L. Rev. 299, 343 (1983). The availability of intrusive post-trial inquiry into attorney performance or of detailed guidelines for its evaluation would encourage the proliferation of ineffectiveness challenges. Criminal trials resolved unfavorably to the defendant would increasingly come to be followed by a second trial, this one of counsel's unsuccessful defense. Counsel's performance and even willingness to serve could be adversely affected. Intensive scrutiny of counsel and rigid requirements for acceptable assistance could dampen the ardor and impair the independence of defense counsel, discourage the acceptance of assigned cases, and undermine the trust between attorney and client. Thus, a court deciding an actual ineffectiveness claim must judge the reasonableness of counsel's challenged conduct on the facts of the particular case viewed as of the time of counsel's conduct. A convicted defendant making a claim of ineffective assistance must identify the acts or omissions of counsel that are alleged not to have been the result of reasonable professional judgment. The court must then determine whether, in light of all the circumstances, the identified acts or omissions were outside the wide range of professionally competent assistance. In making that determination, the court should keep in mind that counsel's function, as elaborated in prevailing professional norms, is to make the adversarial testing process work in the particular case. At the same time, the court should recognize that counsel is strongly presumed to have rendered adequate assistance and made all significant decisions in the exercise of reasonable professional judgment. 466 U.S. at 689-90. Strickland was a federal habeas challenge to a state criminal court determination. In viewing the Court's scope of review, Justice O'Connor concluded: Finally, in a federal habeas challenge to a state criminal judgment, a state court conclusion that counsel rendered effective assistance is not a finding of fact binding on the federal court to the extent stated by 28 U.S.C. § 2254(d). Ineffectiveness is not a question of `basic, primary, or historical fac[t].' Toumsend v. Sain, 372 U.S. 293, 309, n. 6 (1963). Rather, like the question whether multiple representation in a particular case gave rise to a conflict of interest, it is a mixed question of law and fact. See Cuyler v. SuMivan, 446 U.S., at 342. Although state court findings of fact made in the course of deciding an ineffectiveness claim are subject to the deference requirement of § 2254(d), and although district court findings are subject to the clearly erroneous standard of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 52(a), both the performance and prejudice components of the ineffectiveness inquiry are mixed questions of law and fact. 466 U.S. at 698. Although the clear direction of Strickland that both the performance and prejudice components of the ineffectiveness inquiry are mixed questions of law and fact did not find its way into Chamberlain, our seminal Kansas case on this issue, the heart and purpose of the Strickland ruling did, and it has been uniformly applied to every Kansas ineffective assistance of counsel case since it was filed in 1985. In writing for the Kansas Supreme Court in Chamberlain, Justice Holmes set forth the existing Kansas standards of Schoonover v. State, 2 Kan. App.2d 481, Syl. ¶¶ 2, 3, 4, 582 P.2d 292, rev. denied 225 Kan. 845 (1978), and the claim of actual ineffectiveness of Strickland. Justice Holmes then stated: Comparing Strickland v. Washington with the Schoonover v. State standards of ineffective assistance of counsel reveals little conflict between the two. Where Schoonover required proof of counsel's conduct substantially deviating from that expected of a reasonably competent lawyer in the community, Washington requires proof the conduct was not reasonable considering all the circumstances, with defendant required to overcome a strong presumption of reasonableness. Schoonover also required proof counsel's conduct caused the client's conviction or otherwise worked to the client's `substantial disadvantage.' Washington now requires a defendant establish a reasonable probability that, absent the errors, the factfinder would have had a reasonable doubt respecting guilt. While the actual application of the standards from Schoonover as opposed to those of Washington would in all probability effect the same result in any given case, we deem it appropriate to now adopt the Washington holdings as the prevailing yardstick to be used in measuring the effectiveness of counsel under the Sixth Amendment. They may be stated as: First. The Sixth Amendment right to counsel is the right to the effective assistance of counsel, and the benchmark for judging any claim of ineffectiveness must be whether counsel's conduct so undermined the proper functioning of the adversarial process that the trial cannot be relied on as having produced a just result. Second: A convicted defendant's claim that counsel's assistance was so defective as to require reversal of a conviction ... requires that the defendant show, first, that counsel's performance was deficient and, second, that the deficient performance prejudiced the defense so as to deprive the defendant of a fair trial. (a) The proper standard for judging attorney performance is that of reasonably effective assistance, considering all the circumstances. When a convicted defendant complains of the ineffectiveness of counsel's assistance, the defendant must show that counsel's representation fell below an objective standard of reasonableness. Judicial scrutiny of counsel's performance must be highly deferential, and a fair assessment of attorney performance requires that every effort be made to eliminate the distorting effects of hindsight, to reconstruct the circumstances of counsel's challenged conduct, and to evaluate the conduct from counsel's perspective at the time. A court must indulge a strong presumption that counsel's conduct falls within the wide range of reasonable professional assistance. (b) With regard to the required showing of prejudice, the proper standard requires the defendant to show that there is a reasonable probability that, but for counsel's unprofessional errors, the result of the proceeding would have been different. A reasonable probability is a probability sufficient to undermine confidence in the outcome. A court hearing an ineffectiveness claim must consider the totality of the evidence before the judge or jury. In adopting the Washington two-pronged standard or test we do not abandon the standards which have been carefully developed in Schoonover and its progeny. While the Supreme Court in Washington refrained from adopting any `mechanical rules' to be utilized in considering a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel we are of the opinion that our standards enunciated in Schoonover and built upon in subsequent cases remain viable guidelines in the application of the Washington standard. Chamberlain, 236 Kan. at 656-57. In addition, Chamberlain requires the trial court to assess the performance of counsel before an appellate court considers the matter and stated: Much deference and reliance must be placed upon the wisdom and determination of the trial judge who saw all of the proceedings first hand as they happened. 236 Kan. at 659-60. It is apparent from an examination of our appellate decisions on ineffective assistance of counsel issues that Kansas courts have uniformly followed the mandates of Schoonover, Strickland, and Chamberlain in applying the two-pronged test of Strickland, making the independent evaluation of each situation by the totality of the representation as directed in Schoonover, requiring the assessment of the performance of counsel by the trial court before it will be considered by the appellate court, and then allowing deference and reliance ... upon the wisdom and determination of the trial judge who saw all the proceedings firsthand as they happened as directed by Chamberlain. Although we may not have uniformly stated in our appellate opinions that we have given a de novo review to the mixed questions of fact and law which exist, it is apparent that we have done so. We hold that once a proper determination of the issue of ineffective assistance of counsel has been made by the trial court, see State v. Miller, 259 Kan. 478, 486-87, 912 P.2d 722 (1996); State v. Hall, 246 Kan. 728, 753, 793 P.2d 737 (1990); and State v. Van Cleave, 239 Kan. 117, 119, 716 P.2d 580 (1986), we review the issue on appeal de novo as directed by Strickland as mixed questions of fact and law under the totality of the facts and circumstances. Our isolated statement in Taylor, 251 Kan. at 285, that the appropriate scope of review is abuse of discretion, is disapproved. Such a holding is consistent with the myriad of cases from the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals which have uniformly so held. See, e.g., Nickel v. Hannigan, 97 F.3d 403, 408 (10th Cir. 1996) (This court reviews de novo the district court's ineffective assistance of counsel analysis, which involves mixed questions of law and of fact.); Banks v. Reynolds, 54 F.3d 1508, 1515 (10th Cir. 1995) (The performance and prejudice components of the Strickland analysis present mixed questions of law and fact which we review de novo.); Brecheen v. Reynolds, 41 F.3d 1343, 1365-66 (10th Cir. 1994) (`[T]he performance and prejudice prongs under Strickland involve mixed questions of law and fact which we review de novo.') (quoting United States v. Owens, 882 F.2d 1493, 1501-02 n.16 [10th Cir. 1989], which cited Strickland, 466 U.S. at 698). The rule in Kansas which restricts the admission of a defendant's prior convictions for impeachment purposes is clearly stated in K.S.A. 60-421: Evidence of the conviction of a witness for a crime not involving dishonesty or false statement shall be inadmissible for the purpose of impairing his or her credibility. If the witness be the accused in a criminal proceeding, no evidence of his or her conviction of a crime shall be admissible for the sole purpose of impairing his or her credibility unless the witness has first introduced evidence admissible solely for the purpose of supporting his or her credibility. Judge Spencer A. Gard, in commenting on this section, stated: In the criminal case this section has special application where the defendant testifies in his own behalf. Under the former rule he laid his past record open for inquiry when he became a witness, with the result that the defendant hardly dared to take the stand because of the risk that he would be convicted, not on the evidence bearing on his guilt or innocence, but upon the fact that he was shown to have been a bad actor in the past. By not testifying the defendant did not have the benefit of his own denial of guilt and neither did the state have the benefit of the right to cross examine him on the merits of the case. The policy of the new rule is that it is better to remove the fear of conviction on past record by imposing the restriction that evidence of former conviction cannot be received except in answer to evidence which the defendant introduces to support his character. This puts former conviction evidence on the same basis as testimony of bad reputation. While this section uses language about as plain as any language available, it has not been without some inherent uncertainty as to meaning. In the case of Tucker v. Lower, 200 K 1, 434 P2d 320, which is a most important and logical decision, the Supreme Court has construed the section to mean (1) that evidence of any crime, whether a felony or misdemeanor, is admissible for impeachment purposes if it is a crime involving `dishonesty or false statement,' (2) that the crimes of larceny and receiving stolen property are crimes involving dishonesty, and (3) such crimes as drunkenness, reckless driving, allowing an unauthorized person to drive and have an open bottle in the car, are considered merely mala prohibita and do not involve dishonesty or false statement, not because they are misdemeanors, but because they do not fall in the dishonest category. The decision is important also for its review of more traditional rules in other states where the evidence of previous conviction depends on whether the crime is `infamous' or involves `moral turpitude,' or whether it is a felony, regardless of its character. 1 Gard's Kansas C. Civ. Proc.2d Annot. § 60-421 (1979). K.S.A. 60-421 has been the law in Kansas since January 1, 1964, and is a basic provision of our law of evidence of which any attorney who practices in our courts should be aware. Additionally, K.S.A. 60-455 restricts the admissibility of prior crimes in that it provides: Subject to K.S.A. 60-447 evidence that a person committed a crime or civil wrong on a specified occasion, is inadmissible to prove his or her disposition to commit crime or civil wrong as the basis for an inference that the person committed another crime or civil wrong on another specified occasion but, subject to K.S.A. 60-445 and 60-448 such evidence is admissible when relevant to prove some other material fact including motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity or absence of mistake or accident. The trial court found that Bunch advised Rice not to testify because Bunch was unfamiliar with the Kansas law, primarily the provisions of K.S.A. 60-421. It was further found that based on this erroneous advice, Rice decided not to testify on his own behalf. However, in answering the question of whether Bunch's performance was unreasonably deficient, the trial court stated: Throughout the trial, defendant had the aid of well prepared, able and effective counsel. Trial counsel's performance was thoughtful and professional. He fully understood the state's case and effectively cross-examined the state's witnesses. His preparation of the defendant's case was similarly thoughtful and professional. The error to which he now confesses is serious but it is not sufficient for this Court to say his performance was unreasonably deficient. The trial judge went on to state: Having reached this conclusion, it is not necessary to address the [second] test. However, it should be clear that the Court's answer to that question would also be `No.' Because of our previously stated scope of review, we now consider these mixed questions of facts and law de novo. There is limited Kansas precedent on this precise question, although two cases deserve mention. In State v. Logan, 236 Kan. 79, 689 P.2d 778 (1984), the defendant was charged with and convicted of the sale of methamphetamine. His attorney, operating under a misunderstanding of the law by believing the State would be able to bring out prior convictions involving dishonesty upon cross-examination, disclosed prior convictions for felony burglary and robbery. Counsel was attempting to lessen the sting to the jury and enhance Logan's credibility. 236 Kan. at 83. We found the defendant's credibility was damaged by his counsel's advice and the questioning was not the result of a reasonable trial strategy. However, a new trial was not granted, in part because counsel's conduct was gauged by the totality of the circumstances: He was well prepared, lodged numerous objections to evidence, and argued thoroughly his motion for a directed verdict and a motion in limine. Counsel's misunderstanding of the law concerning defendant's prior convictions and the circumstances under which the defendant could plead the Fifth Amendment were his only apparent errors. Additionally, it is not apparent the defendant would have been acquitted in the absence of his counsel's error, since the jurors may have chosen to believe the State's version of the events even if defendant's credibility had not been shaken. 236 Kan. at 83-84. The Logan court recognized that Strickland had been recently decided but did not apply any of its reasoning or analysis. In response to a question concerning Logan at oral argument, Rice's appellate counsel stated that at least defendant Logan was able to present his testimony to the jury, while Rice was prevented from exercising this basic constitutional right. A comparable situation was present in State v. Wright, 203, Kan. 54, 453 P.2d 1 (1969). Wright was on trial for rape. His attorney with 35 years of experience was unaware of K.S.A. 60-421, which would have prevented the State from questioning the defendant as to his prior convictions. Wright's counsel questioned him as to his prior convictions, leaving out an earlier rape offense which was then brought out on cross-examination. The trial court instructed the jury not to consider any evidence of the defendant's prior record in reaching its decision. Our court determined the error by counsel was not prejudicial to the defendant. The majority in Wright characterized defense counsel's interjection of his client's prior record as his only slip but that [i]n all other respects counsel showed unusual diligence and ability. 203 Kan. at 56. Only Justice Fontron dissented, and in his usual descriptive language, characterized defense counsel's action as a continuing and poisonous `slip.' 203 Kan. at 61. In both Logan and Wright, the accused testified, although his criminal background was exposed beyond what was required. In neither case was this deemed to be ineffective assistance of counsel. The only similarity between Logan and Wright and Rice's situation appears to be representation by counsel with a basic lack of understanding of our rules of evidence. It might be argued Rice was left in a better position than either Logan or Wright, for at least his criminal record was never presented to the jury. There are so many other Kansas cases, as well as those from other states and the federal courts, where claims of ineffective assistance of counsel have been raised that it would be counterproductive to attempt any case-by-case analysis other than to say each instance is highly fact driven. Appellate judges in making a de novo review of the mixed questions of law and fact should well remember the admonishment of Chamberlain that deference and reliance must be placed upon the wisdom and determination of the trial judge who saw all the proceedings first hand as they happened. 236 Kan. at 659-60. It appears from the record, and Bunch stated so affirmatively at the ineffective assistance of counsel hearing, that the primary trial strategy of the defense in this case was that Lindy was alive. Four witnesses directly testified to this. Witnesses were also presented to mitigate the State's theory that Rice was a violent man. In response to the State's question, So you were not only there to create reasonable doubt, you were there to prove he was innocent?, Bunch answered, Yes. It was further shown that the majority of the evidence Rice would have presented was in fact made available to the jury through the testimony of a reporter who interviewed him and wrote an article for the Kansas City Star. All of these factors may weigh more heavily on a proper determination of the second prong of the Strickland test, but the fact remains that Bunch's assistance on what he admits is a crucial decision in every criminal jury trial whether the accused should take the stand and testifywas unreasonably deficient. The advice that Rice should not testify was not based on any justifiable strategic considerations but rather on the belief that had he done so, his previous convictions would have been laid open to the jury. Attempting to practice law in a jurisdiction where one is not licensed without having a correct understanding of one of the critical components of the decision of whether the accused should testify is inexcusable. This deficiency is further amplified by the lead counsel's failure to question local counsel about the issue. Our dismay is not only limited to the actions of out-of-state counsel, but also to Kansas counsel who undertook local representation but did not ensure that he was actually involved in all aspects of defending an accused charged with first-degree murder and facing the most severe penalty available under our State's law. His conduct is also equally appalling. We hold Rice has satisfied the first portion of the ineffective assistance of counsel test: counsel's performance was unreasonably deficient. The trial court erred in ruling otherwise. We are not, however, convinced the trial court erred in stating that the deficient performance did not prejudice the defense so as to deprive the defendant of a fair trial. Although the trial judge said it was not necessary to reach the second prong of the Chamberlain test, it is clear from his comments that he ruled that not only was the representation not ineffective, but also the Court's answer to that question would also be `No.' To satisfy the second prong of Chamberlain, it is required that the defendant show that the deficient performance prejudiced the defense so as to deprive the defendant of a fair trial. .... (b) With regard to the required showing of prejudice, the proper standard requires the defendant to show that there is a reasonable probability that, but for counsel's unprofessional errors, the result of the proceeding would have been different. A reasonable probability is a probability sufficient to undermine confidence in the outcome. A court hearing an ineffectiveness claim must consider the totality of the evidence before the judge or jury. 236 Kan. 650, Syl. ¶ 3. At this point, the discussion previously set forth as to the strategy of Rice's defense is actually more applicable to a discussion of the second-prong than it was to the first question of whether the counsel's performance was deficient. The trial strategy that Lindy was and is alive was not hindered by the lack of Rice's testimony. Had Rice testified, there does not appear to be any evidence he could have offered to substantiate the testimony of the four witnesses who stated they had seen Lindy alive subsequent to September 15, 1992. This testimony was clearly not believed by the jury. It is doubtful Rice's testimony would have changed its decision. This factor weighs heavily in justifying the trial court's decision. Additionally, Rice's silence did not have any effect on the defense strategy of showing him as a nonviolent person. The testimony Rice stated he would have offered would not have countered the devastating effect, if believed, of the testimony of Pam Whitten that Rice's sister, Dixie Frazier had seen Lindy the morning of September 15, 1992, and that she had checked for Lindy's pulse and put a mirror to her face, but had found no signs of life. Additionally, Frazier supposedly told Whitten that later that day, Rice dropped the children off at her house to be watched so he could dispose of the body and clean the house. This evidence had to be judged by the jury solely on the respective credibility of Whitten and Frazier. The testimony of the children was effectively cross-examined and challenged, and while Rice may have amplified the inconsistencies, much of that same evidence came in through the news story. We were not present, as the trial judge was, to see all the witnesses or to view Rice's actions during the trial and to gauge the effect of the one outburst that was testified to during the ineffective assistance hearing. We give the trial court's finding deference to which it is entitled, but reach our decision de novo based on the mixed questions of law and fact the entire record places before us. It is apparent the trial judge was not limited to the evidence presented at the ineffective assistance hearing, but took into consideration, as we must do, the totality of the evidence before the jury. There is considerable evidence sufficient to uphold the verdict which would not have been affected by Rice's testimony. We are not convinced that Rice has shown that had he testified, there is a reasonable probability that the result of the proceeding would have been different. We uphold the trial court's ruling that Rice was not deprived of a fair trial. Defendant has not satisfied the second prong of the Strickland/Chamberlain test. Pro se filings We have examined numerous pro se filings from the defendant: The additional arguments relating to the Whitten testimony have been considered and are fully addressed previously in this opinion. The issue raised concerning the timely filing of the hard 40 notice is considered as required by K.S.A. 1993 Supp. 21-4627 and found to be without merit. The issue contending prosecutorial misconduct in closing argument relating to a statement about Dr. Sayegh and that Lindy Rice deserves a fair trial were not improper and would not justify or require a new trial. The testimony concerning marital discord was proper. No issue raised in defendant's pro se filings requires a different result than we have reached herein. Affirmed. DAVIS, J., dissenting: I respectfully dissent from the majority's opinion and would conclude that the trial court erred in rejecting the defendant's claim for a new trial based on ineffective assistance of counsel. The majority concludes that counsel's assistance to the defendant was unreasonably deficient. The majority further concludes that counsel's advice to the defendant, that he should not testify, was not based upon any justifiable strategic consideration but was based on the fact that counsel attempted to practice law in a jurisdiction where he was not licensed without having a correct understanding of the rules of evidence or making the necessary efforts to learn how Kansas law treats a critical piece of evidencethe testimony of a defendantin any criminal defense. The majority states that counsel's failure to even question local counsel about the fundamental precepts of Kansas law when defending an accused charged with first-degree murder and facing the most severe penalty available under law is inexcusable. Finally, the majority concludes that it was shocked with the conduct of Kansas counsel who undertook local representation and failed to fill the requirements of that representation. I agree with these conclusions and with the ultimate conclusion that counsel's performance was unreasonably deficient. However, I disagree with the majority's conclusion that there was not a reasonable probability of a different outcome had the defendant testified. Three factors are especially important in analyzing the effect of defense attorney Willard Bunch's erroneous and unreasonable advice to his client not to testify. First, the appellate court exercises particularly sensitized review of cases where the conviction is based solely on circumstantial evidence. State v. Williams, 229 Kan. 646, 648, 630 P.2d 694 (1981). In this case, the victim's body was never found, nor did any witness testify to seeing the victim killed. Second, an appellate court's review of cases in which a hard 40 sentence is imposed is similarly sensitized. See K.S.A. 1993 Supp. 21-4627. Finally, Bunch's advice prevented the defendant from exercising his constitutional right to testify in his own defense. The defendant presented witnesses who testified they saw the victim alive after she was supposedly killed. The only evidence that could not be reconciled with the defense theory was the State's rebuttal testimony of Pam Whitten, who was staying at the home of Dixie Frazier, the defendant's sister. This testimony was hearsay evidence denied by the declarant. The defendant actively assailed Whitten's credibility by attempting to establish that she was unstable and possessed a motive for lying because the defendant's sister refused to give her money to leave the state. Either Sami Stern an acquaintance of Frazier, who testified she talked at length with the victim after her alleged death, or Whitten, who testified Frazier discovered the victim was dead, lied to the jury. In the face of this contradictory testimony, the defendant's testimony could have weakened the other circumstantial evidence against him which tended to corroborate the story told by Whitten. His testimony about the events of the night of September 13, 1992, could have created serious questions about whether the victim's children, Mark and Amanda Lyons, had combined the events of 2 days into 1 and had actually seen their mother on the bathroom floor the morning before the final fight. The defendant proffered evidence of what his testimony would have been had he taken the stand. At the hearing, the defendant testified that he would have refuted key aspects of the State's case. He would have denied that he killed the victim. The defendant's testimony could have created a reasonable doubt. While there is evidence in the record that much of what the defendant would have testified to was before the jury in the form of other testimony, this is not the same as the defendant testifying. The defendant's testimony, under all the circumstances, was of critical importance. The conduct of the defendant's counsel did not merely result in a minor procedural error. Bunch's erroneous understanding of governing law had the effect of preventing the defendant's exercise of his apparent constitutional right to testify in his own defense. See Nix v. Whiteside, 475 U.S. 157, 164, 173, 89 L. Ed.2d 1, 106 S. Ct. 988 (1986). Where a trial error deprives a defendant of a constitutional right, the standard to be applied is more stringent than simply whether there is a reasonable probability of a different result. Instead, the presumption is that the error warrants reversal unless the appellate court is willing to declare a belief that it was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt, that is, that we can say beyond a reasonable doubt that the error had little, if any, likelihood of changing the result of the trial. See State v. Johnson-Howell, 255 Kan. 928, 944-45, 881 P.2d 1288 (1994). There is no question that the defendant's decision not to testify was based solely on counsel's erroneous advice that all of his prior convictions would have then come into evidence. Counsel for the defendant corroborates this fact by his own testimony. I would conclude that the defendant's claim of ineffective assistance of counsel has more merit than the majority decision finds. While the majority defers to the trial court's findings, it does so after concluding that the trial court erred as a matter of law in not finding Bunch's conduct unreasonably deficient. After making this determination, the trial court could, and did, base its decision solely on this erroneous legal conclusion and, therefore, may not have considered the question of prejudice. Indeed, the trial court's journal entry reflects no deep reflection on the question: Having reached this conclusion [counsel's performance was not deficient], it is not necessary to address the record [sic] test. However, it should be clear that the Court's answer to that question would also be `No.' The majority opinion presumes by the record test the trial court was referring to the question of whether, but for the counsel's error, there would be a reasonable probability of a different result. In light of the trial court's legally erroneous conclusion that Bunch's representation was not unreasonably deficient, I would find this presumption too fine and frayed a thread to support the heaviest punishment our state imposed at the time of the defendant's conviction. Even under the more onerous standard of Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 80 L. Ed.2d 674, 104 S. Ct. 2052 (1984), these circumstances meet that case's two-prong test. As stated by the majority, counsel's assistance was unreasonably deficient and inexcusable, which satisfies the first prong. With all due respect to the majority of this court, its analysis of the second prong (whether the defendant has shown a reasonable probability that, but for counsel's unprofessional errors, the result would have been different) misses the critical question. A reasonable probability is a probability sufficient to undermine confidence in the outcome. (Emphasis added.) Chamberlain v. State, 236 Kan. 650, Syl. ¶ 3, 694 P.2d 468 (1985), applying Strickland v. Washington . In this case, I think the ultimate focus should not be based on mechanical rules but rather on the question of fundamental fairness. See Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. at 697; Chamberlain v. State, 236 Kan. at 655. In my opinion, the majority's emphasis on deference to the trial court's first-hand view of the proceedings deepens the sense of undermined confidence. The trial court, due to counsel's erroneous advice, never had the opportunity to see the defendant testify, observe his demeanor, or weigh his credibility. In these circumstances, I think confidence is unwarranted. The United States Supreme Court, in the seminal right to counsel case, Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335, 344, 9 L. Ed.2d 799, 83 S. Ct. 792 (1963), reiterated the moving words of Mr. Justice Sutherland in Powell v. Alabama, 287 U.S. 45, 77 L. Ed. 158, 53 S. Ct. 55 (1932): `Even the intelligent and educated layman has small and sometimes no skill in the science of law. If charged with crime, he is incapable, generally, of determining for himself whether the indictment is good or bad. He is unfamiliar with the rules of evidence. Left without the aid of counsel he may be put on trial without a proper charge, and convicted upon incompetent evidence, or evidence irrelevant to the issue or otherwise inadmissible. He lacks both the skill and knowledge adequately to prepare his defense, even though he have a perfect one. He requires the guiding hand of counsel at every step in the proceedings against him. Without it, though he be not guilty, he faces the danger of conviction because he does not know how to establish his innocence.' [Citation omitted.] 372 U.S. at 345. The defendant was deprived of the guiding hand of counsel regarding his right to testify in his own defense. In the absence of adequate advice, he was in no better position than a defendant deprived of counsel altogether. Fundamental fairness and confidence in a fair outcome require me to conclude, in accordance with Chamberlain, that there remains a reasonable probability that but for counsel's unprofessional error, the results of the proceeding would have been different. In accordance with Nix v. Whiteside , I cannot say that counsel's error, which deprived the defendant of his constitutional right to testify in his own defense, was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. I would, therefore, conclude that this error warrants reversal and would reverse and remand for a new trial. ALLEGRUCCI and Six, JJ., join in the foregoing dissent.