Opinion ID: 1711117
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Whether Counsel was Ineffective for Failure to Request a Continuance

Text: ¶ 14. Defense counsel received the written statement of State's witness Larry Bernard on February 15, 1994, twenty days before trial. Brown argues that his attorneys were ineffective in failing to request a continuance. At trial, Bernard testified as to what Brown had purportedly said to him about the crime. Trial counsel chose not to cross-examine Bernard, and the State rested its case. Brown argues that his defense was prejudiced in that his attorneys did not cross-examine this witness. Brown's attorneys had approximately twenty days in which to interview Bernard. There is no allegation that defense counsel failed to interview Bernard, only that counsel failed to cross-examine him. That decision must be attributed to trial strategy since Brown's trial attorneys were in the best position to gauge whether cross-examination of Bernard would be more harmful than helpful. Defense counsel did request a jury instruction on informant testimony which was granted by the trial court. Instruction D-11 provided The Court instructs the jury that the law looks with suspicion and distrust on the testimony of an alleged informant, and requires the jury to weigh same with great care and caution and suspicion. You should weigh the testimony from alleged informant, and passing on what weight, if any, you should give this testimony, you should weigh it with great care and caution, and look upon it with distrust and suspicion. This Court is not inclined to find either a deficient performance or prejudice in the failure of defense counsel to request a continuance following his opportunity to interview the witness. Cole v. State, 666 So.2d 767, 777 (Miss.1995). Accordingly, the failure to raise the issue on direct appeal does not constitute an error in counsel's professional performance. This issue is without merit.