Opinion ID: 557342
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Failure to Examine Documents.

Text: 24 This brings us to Berkowitz's second contention concerning effective assistance of counsel: that Huyck failed to provide him effective assistance because he failed to examine documents. Adequate pretrial preparation, including the examination of documents, is essential to properly represent a criminal defendant. But how much preparation is enough (like the numerous other decisions an attorney must make in the course of representation) is a matter of professional judgment. The attorney's judgment is entitled to deference; thus, for Berkowitz to show Huyck's performance was deficient, he must overcome a strong presumption that [Huyck's] conduct [fell] within the wide range of reasonable professional assistance and show that Huyck's pretrial preparation fell below an objective standard of reasonableness based on prevailing professional norms. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 687-91, 104 S.Ct. at 2064-66; see also United States v. Weaver, 882 F.2d 1128, 1138 (7th Cir.1989). Moreover, even if Huyck's pretrial preparation was objectively deficient, Berkowitz must show that lack of preparation prejudiced him in the sense that a reasonable probability exists that but for counsel's unprofessional errors, the result of the proceeding would have been different. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 694, 104 S.Ct. at 2068. 25 Since we presume that Huyck's performance fell within the range of reasonable professional assistance, it is Berkowitz's task to show otherwise. The only evidence Berkowitz cites concerning Huyck's preparation is a statement in a new trial motion, prepared by Huyck, that he did not seek copies of the records the government had seized. But the motion states only that Huyck did not ask for copies; it does not state that Huyck did not inspect the government exhibits. Furthermore, there are indications in the record that Huyck spent considerable time reviewing records and preparing for trial. The evidence in the record is insufficient for Berkowitz to overcome the presumption that Huyck's preparation was reasonable. 26 Even if Huyck's preparation was deficient, Berkowitz has failed to show prejudice from this deficiency. Berkowitz says that because Huyck did not review all the government's documents, he could not show that the government never possessed many of the documents that Berkowitz allegedly stole. Berkowitz also argues that without knowing what documents the government had left after Berkowitz's theft, Huyck could not challenge the government's assertion that the loss of the stolen documents adversely affected the government's ability to try the tax fraud case. Neither of these complaints are sufficient to establish prejudice. First, the evidence that Berkowitz did steal and destroy at least some documents was overwhelming: Berkowitz himself admitted taking documents, and the government recovered torn checks that had been stolen from a wastebasket in Berkowitz's home. Second, obstruction of justice requires the government to show only that a defendant endeavor[ed] to impede a prosecution, not that he actually impeded the prosecution. See 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1503. The key question at trial was Berkowitz's intent, not whether he actually impeded the tax fraud prosecution. The fact that Berkowitz actually did destroy documents and the fact that he had government documents in his house several weeks after his last visit to the USA's office raise a strong inference that Berkowitz intended to impede the tax fraud case. Why else would he keep or destroy government documents? During trial, Berkowitz was able to identify numerous documents that the government claimed were stolen that had already been in his possession. But given the overwhelming evidence that Berkowitz did steal and destroy some documents, it is not reasonably probable that showing that some other documents the government claimed were stolen were not would have changed the jury's verdict. 27