Opinion ID: 1087106
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Second Prong of Strickland

Text: Finally, proof of the second prong of Strickland is markedly absent. There is simply no reasonable probability that but for Mr. Zimarowski’s failure to waste time chasing the ever-changing stories of Mary Linville, the outcome of Mr. Ferguson’s trial would have been different. Relying solely upon the testimony of Ms. Linville and Ms. King from the habeas hearing, the majority summarily concludes that the result would have been different 16 “had trial counsel presented evidence derived from a proper investigation of the Coles confession.” This conclusion necessarily requires the majority to ignore the compelling evidence presented against Mr. Ferguson at trial outlined above. More importantly, it also illustrates that the majority’s reasoning is not only inadequate, but a moving target: is the majority critical of the mere failure to investigate the Robert Coles confession or the failure to introduce the evidence of the purported confession, in whatever state of investigation, at trial? Is defense counsel, upon any retrial of Mr. Ferguson, now obligated to introduce this irrefutably damaging testimony lest they, too, be found to be ineffective? Regardless, Strickland provides that “ineffectiveness claims alleging deficiency in attorney performance are subject to a general requirement that the defendant affirmatively prove prejudice.” 466 U.S. at 693 (emphasis added). As the Supreme Court explained: Attorney errors come in an infinite variety and are as likely to be utterly harmless in a particular case as they are to be prejudicial. They cannot be classified according to likelihood of causing prejudice. Nor can they be defined with sufficient precision to inform defense attorneys correctly just what conduct to avoid. Representation is an art, and act or omission that is unprofessional in one case may be sound or even brilliant in another. Even if a defendant shows particular errors of counsel were unreasonable, therefore, the defendant must show that they actually had an adverse effect on the defense. Id. (emphasis added). The majority weakly concludes that “a jury could have reasonable doubts about the guilt of Mr. Ferguson.” This conclusion is far from the affirmative showing of prejudice required by Strickland and somewhat startling in its lack of conviction. 17 That the majority would have Mr. Zimarowski engage in the fool’s errand of conducting his own investigation into the alleged confession of Robert Coles is inexplicable enough. However, to suggest that calling almost comically incredible witnesses in support of the alleged Robert Coles confession would have more likely than not resulted in an acquittal is outright shocking. As ostensible support for its contention that the jury may have done something other than utterly disregard her testimony, the majority takes on the yeoman’s task of trying to bolster the credibility of Mary Linville. In its analysis, the majority has the temerity to suggest that Mary Linville was likely being truthful by inculpating Robert Coles because she was merely trying to help herself and did not know Mr. Ferguson. The idea that a drug-addicted criminal in the throes of a federal drug debriefing, who is attempting to gain leniency by acting as an informant to law enforcement, would certainly never lie to those authorities is naive, to put it mildly. Moreover, the majority’s position that since Mary Linville did not know Mr. Ferguson, she is more credible, is likewise myopic. While she may not know Mr. Ferguson, it is clear she knew Robert Coles and fingering him in an active murder investigation could easily have been her goal regardless of whether it also helped Mr. Ferguson. It is also reasonable to conclude that Mary Linville’s friend, Spring King, would also have motive to inculpate Robert Coles particularly since her only other interaction with him was when he spat in her face. Far from being ineffective, Mr. Zimarowski did everything possible within the constraints of the law to zealously represent Mr. Ferguson. The record reflects that Mr. 18 Zimarowski persuaded the trial court to exclude what could have been damning evidence against Mr. Ferguson including his prior criminal history involving theft and possession of a firearm, fraudulent use of a credit card and, most significantly, an out-of-court boastful statement that he had chased and shot someone in Washington, D.C. Mr. Zimarowski’s decision not to follow up or further investigate the alleged confession of Robert Coles was clearly reasonable and certainly does not represent the ineffective assistance of counsel contemplated under the highly deferential standard for acceptable assistance of counsel under Strickland. Therefore, for the reasons set forth above, I would reverse the circuit court’s order granting the writ of habeas corpus. Accordingly, I respectfully dissent from the majority’s decision in this case. I am authorized to state that Justice Workman joins in this dissent. 19