Opinion ID: 1721127
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Whether trial counsel should have retained independent defense mental health experts.

Text: Appellant asserts that a hearing is essential to ascertain the reason why counsel, although relying on the defense of insanity, did not obtain his own independent mental health expert in addition to the court-appointed experts. Prior to trial, the trial court ordered an evaluation of Appellant at Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center (KCPC). The evaluation was subsequently performed by Dr. Pran Ravani, a psychiatrist, and Dennis Wagner, a psychologist. Appellant's counsel informed the trial court on several occasions that he was considering having Appellant examined by an independent expert, but was waiting to review the results of the KCPC evaluation. Ultimately, counsel chose not to retain an independent expert. At trial, both Dr. Ravani and Wagner testified for the defense. Both stated that Appellant suffered from schizophrenic form disorder, an acute form of schizophrenia which can be shorter in duration. However, neither testified that in their opinion, Appellant, at the time of the murders, probably lacked substantial capacity to appreciate the criminal nature of the act or that he did not have the substantial capacity to conform his conduct to the requirements of law. Wagner did testify that if Appellant was suffering from the disorder at the time of the killings, he would not have been able to tell right from wrong or to control his actions. Appellant believes that an independent expert was essential to assist counsel in determining whether insanity was an appropriate defense, to aid counsel in presenting that defense, and to aid counsel in the presentation of mitigating evidence. Appellant relies on this Court's opinion in Binion v. Commonwealth, Ky., 891 S.W.2d 383 (1995), which held that the trial court's appointment of a neutral mental health expert was insufficient to satisfy the constitutional requirement of due process because the services of a mental health expert should be provided so as to permit that expert to conduct an appropriate examination and assist in the evaluation, preparation, and presentation of the defense. Id. at 386. This Court recognized that pursuant to Ake v. Oklahoma, 470 U.S. 68, 105 S.Ct. 1087, 84 L.Ed.2d 53 (1985), indigent defendants are entitled to be provided with a psychiatrist to assist in building an effective defense. Binion, supra at 386; see also Hunter v. Commonwealth, Ky., 869 S.W.2d 719 (1994). Here, however, we are presented with a different situation. Appellant was not indigent and was represented by retained counsel of his choice. The question is not whether the trial court had the responsibility to provide an expert, but whether counsel was ineffective in failing to retain an independent expert to assist in the defense. The United States Supreme Court in Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984), established the standard by which to evaluate counsel's performance. In order to overcome the strong presumption that counsel's conduct fell within the wide range of reasonably professional assistance, Appellant must show that his counsel's performance was deficient and that he was prejudiced by that deficiency. Id. at 687, 104 S.Ct. at 2064. When a defendant challenges a death sentence such as the one at issue in this case, the question is whether there is a reasonable probability that, absent the errors, the sentencerincluding an appellate court, to the extent it independently reweighs the evidencewould have concluded that the balance of aggravating and mitigating circumstances did not warrant death. Id. at 695, 104 S.Ct. at 2069; see also Hopewell v. Commonwealth, Ky., 687 S.W.2d 153 (1985). In Henderson v. Commonwealth, Ky., 636 S.W.2d 648, 650 (1982), this Court stated that defense counsel should be required to perform at least as well as a lawyer with ordinary training and skill in criminal law, utilizing that degree of training to conscientiously protect his client's interest. A reviewing court, in determining whether counsel was ineffective, must be highly deferential in scrutinizing counsel's performance. The tendency and temptation to second guess is strong and should be avoided. Thus, we must look to the particular facts of the case and determine whether the acts or omissions were outside the wide range of professionally competent assistance to the extent that the errors caused the adversarial testing process not to work. Strickland, supra at 690, 104 S.Ct. at 2066. We are of the opinion that trial counsel's decision not to present additional mental health experts is certainly consistent with trial strategy based on investigation. The record reflects that it was clearly counsel's strategy to await the results of the KCPC examination before determining whether to have Appellant independently examined. The court-appointed experts essentially conceded that Appellant suffered from some form of a mental disorder, and Wagner went so far as to testify that if the disorder was present at the time of the murders, Appellant would not have been able to control his actions. Thus, counsel could have reasonably concluded that testimony from an independent expert was unnecessary. Further, an argument may be made that a jury would view a court-appointed expert more credibly than an expert hired to assist and testify for the defense. Nonetheless, Appellant has not demonstrated that the experts by whom he was examined were not qualified, or that counsel had reason to believe they were not qualified to determine whether Appellant's mental capacity was diminished at the time of the offenses. Competent representation does not demand that counsel seek repetitive examinations of Appellant until an expert is found who will offer a supportive opinion.