Opinion ID: 1711117
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: Whether Counsel was Ineffective for Failure to Call Brown's Mother as a Witness.

Text: ¶ 24. Brown's mother, Edna Turner, was subpoenaed as a defense witness at the sentencing phase of the trial but was not present in the court room when called. Brown now claims that this constituted ineffective assistance of counsel but cites no authority for the proposition. The decision to call a witness is generally considered a matter of trial strategy. Marler v. Blackburn, 777 F.2d 1007, 1010 (5th Cir.1985). This Court has held that the failure to call an available witness on a critical issue is only one factor to be considered in assessing a claim of ineffectiveness. Leatherwood v. State, 473 So.2d 964, 969 (Miss.1985). This Court has recognized that the failure to call a mitigation witness is not presumptively ineffective because the many valid reasons for not calling a witness, e.g., their testimony may be more harmful than helpful. King v. State, 503 So.2d 271, 274 (Miss. 1987); Leatherwood, 473 So.2d at 969-70. Brown includes no affidavit from Ms. Turner as to how she might have testified, and it is speculative at best as to whether her testimony would have more likely than not altered the sentence imposed upon Brown. ¶ 25. Defense counsel did call Brown's sister and two nurses who testified that Brown was involved in the care of his quadriplegic stepfather. A former girlfriend testified that Brown was not a violent person by nature. Brown testified in his own behalf against the advice of counsel. This issue is without merit.