Opinion ID: 2959723
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Ill Appeal

Text: Carson appealed, asserting that his trial counsel's objection to the Petrich instruction constituted ineffective assistance of counsel. 4 The Court of Appeals affirmed. State v. Carson, 179 Wn. App. 961, 320 P.3d 185 (2014 ). The court held that trial counsel's objection to the Petrich instruction was a reasonable trial tactic and thus did not constitute ineffective assistance. The court quoted extensively from the record, noting defense counsel's concerns that the Petrich instruction could confuse the jury. 4 Carson also argued before the Court of Appeals that the trial court itself erred by failing to give a Petrich instruction. The Court of Appeals rejected this argument under the invited error doctrine. State v. Carson, 179 Wn. App. 961, 973-75, 320 P.3d 185 (2014). Carson also raised a public trial claim based on the sealing of juror questionnaires, but the Court of Appeals held that our decision in State v. Beskurt, 176 Wn.2d 441, 447, 293 P.3d 1159 (2013), defeated this claim. Carson, 179 Wn. App. at 971-72. Carson did not include either of these issues in his petition for review, and we do not address them further. 6 State v. Carson (David), No. 90308-5 The Court of Appeals further noted that this objection comported with the defense's broader trial strategy, in which defense counsel avoided discussing specific incidents in his closing argument and argued instead that CC's testimony and statements were so muddled, inconsistent, and confusing that they created a reasonable doubt about whether Carson had committed any of the acts or the charged crimes .... /d. at 979. In dissent, Judge Worswick asserted that defense counsel's objection to the Petrich instruction was based on a belief that Petrich was inapplicable in multicount cases. /d. at 982-84. She concluded that this objection was based on an erroneous view of the law and thus cannot be characterized as a legitimate trial tactic. /d. at 984.