Opinion ID: 1758782
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Deaton's Claims

Text: In seeking relief as to his conviction, Deaton alleges that: (1) the jury should have been given an instruction regarding jurisdiction as an element of the crime for which he was charged; (2) Deaton's counsel was ineffective because he failed to adequately investigate and prepare Deaton's defense and because he had a conflict of interest; (3) Deaton did not receive an adequate mental health examination; (4) Deaton was, in all likelihood, incompetent and should not have been allowed to stand trial; (5) the exclusion of taped statements made by codefendant Hall deprived Deaton of the right to present a self-defense defense; (6) Deaton's counsel was ineffective for failing to effectively litigate the suppression of statements made by Deaton; and (7) certain evidence that the State introduced was inadmissable and prejudicial. Deaton also raises a number of issues regarding the penalty phase proceeding in the event we find that the State's cross-appeal has merit. In his first claim, Deaton contends that one of the factual issues at trial was whether the victim was killed in Florida or Tennessee and that the State had to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the crime was committed within the jurisdiction of Florida. According to Deaton, the jury was incorrectly instructed that venue had to be proved to a reasonable certainty when the jury should have been instructed that jurisdiction had to be established beyond a reasonable doubt. He additionally asserts that this issue is not procedurally barred because jurisdiction cannot be waived and that his counsel was ineffective in failing to request an instruction on jurisdiction. The State, on the other hand, asserts that jurisdiction was not an element that needed to be proved in this case, that jurisdiction was not raised as a defense, that an instruction on jurisdiction was not requested, and that no such instruction was necessary. Moreover, the State contends that this issue is procedurally barred because it should have been raised on direct appeal. In any event, the State asserts that the failure to receive an instruction on jurisdiction was harmless because sufficient evidence exists within the record to show beyond a reasonable doubt that the killing was done or begun in Florida. In Lane v. State, 388 So.2d 1022 (Fla. 1980), we discussed the principles of jurisdiction when a factual question exists as to whether or not a crime was committed in Florida. There we stated: We agree with the Supreme Court of Vermont which stated in State v. Harrington, 128 Vt. 242, 250, 260 A.2d 692, 697 (1969): It is not essential to criminal responsibility that the accused do every act necessary to accomplish the crime within the jurisdiction where he is prosecuted... . Where the crime is composed of an interstate series of acts, it is jurisdictionally competent for a state to attach legal consequences to any overt act committed within its boundaries, even though the final impact and injury may occur elsewhere. [Citations omitted.] This principle is more appropriate today than it ever was in view of the increased transient nature of our society. We recognize that this holding grants to the State of Florida broader jurisdiction than many of our other sister states, but we find it is allowed by the United States Constitution and has been directed by the legislature of this state. This broader jurisdiction nonetheless requires that the prosecution establish beyond a reasonable doubt that essential elements of the offense were committed within the jurisdiction of the State of Florida. In the instant case that would mean establishing either that the premeditation to murder the victim was formulated in the State of Florida or that the underlying felony, in this case the robbery, occurred in the State of Florida. Under the instant circumstances, our holding that Florida has jurisdiction to try the appellant is supported by the decision of the Supreme Court of Indiana in Conrad v. Indiana, 262 Ind. 446, 317 N.E.2d 789 (1974). In Conrad the formulation in Indiana of the premeditated design to effect the death of a victim coupled with a continuous course of action commenced in Indiana to carry out that purpose was held sufficient to give Indiana jurisdiction even though the fatal blows and death of the victim occurred in the State of Ohio. 388 So.2d at 1028. Additionally, we noted that the issue of jurisdiction is a factual one to be determined by a jury upon appropriate instruction, and we adopted the majority view that territorial jurisdiction must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt rather than by a preponderance of the evidence. Under the facts in Lane, the State conceded its inability to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that the fatal blow was struck in Florida, and the evidence indicated that the fatal blow or blows were probably struck in Alabama. However, the State argued that the evidence indicated that the crime was commenced in Florida. Although, as noted above, we did find that commencement in Florida was sufficient to support jurisdiction in Florida, under the facts in Lane, we found that the jury instructions given regarding jurisdiction were too general and that the jury must be given specific instructions regarding jurisdiction. Consequently, we remanded the case for a new trial. In this case, a factual issue was presented as to whether the murder occurred in Tennessee or Florida. Deaton argued that the murder occurred in Tennessee as a result of self-defense. No instruction, however, was requested or given regarding jurisdiction. Instead, defense counsel requested and the jury received Florida Standard Jury Instruction (Crim.) 3.03 on venue: Venue, it must be proved only to a reasonable certainty that the alleged crimes were committed in Broward County, Florida. The State is obligated to prove the court's jurisdiction over the defendant. Lane. Upon the request of the defendant, the court should instruct the jury on jurisdiction when the evidence is in conflict on the issue. However, because no such instruction was requested and there was substantial evidence that the criminal acts at issue except the actual disposal of the body were done or begun in Florida, no error occurred in this case. Even though counsel's failure to request an instruction on jurisdiction could be characterized as ineffective, the evidence was such that if an instruction had been given, there is not a reasonable probability that the result would have been different. See Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984). Therefore, we reject this claim. In his second claim, Deaton argues that his trial counsel was ineffective because counsel failed to adequately investigate and prepare a proper defense and because counsel placed himself in a position of conflict. During Deaton's trial, his counsel was advised of two witnesses who were willing to testify that they had seen the victim alive in Tennessee after the date on which the victim was purportedly murdered. Additionally, codefendant Hall contacted Deaton's counsel and provided him with a taped statement in which Hall stated that Deaton had killed the victim in self-defense. Based on these facts, Deaton contends that his counsel was ineffective for failing to discover this information before trial and for failing to secure the admission of the tape at trial. Deaton also argues that, by taking the taped statement from Hall, counsel placed himself in the position of a witness, which created a conflict under the Florida Rules of Professional Responsibility. We disagree. As noted by the trial judge in denying relief as to this claim: The Court has reviewed the original trial testimony, the Florida Supreme Court opinion in this case, and the evidence admitted at the evidentiary hearing, and finds that the defendant did not overcome the presumption that his counsel competently represented him at the guilt phase of the trial. Based on the facts known to his attorney at the time of trial, as well as the State's evidence presented at trial, his attorney presented the only possible defense available to him during trial. The Court finds no basis to second guess trial counsel's strategy during the guilt phase of the trial, and finds no credible evidence that the defendant was denied the effective assistance of counsel at this phase of the trial. Moreover, as reflected by the record, counsel did interview the two Tennessee witnesses (codefendant Hall's mother and aunt) before trial and neither indicated anything about seeing the victim alive in Tennessee at that time. As to any purported conflict, because the tape was inadmissible hearsay, Deaton's counsel was never placed in the position of having to testify. Likewise, we reject Deaton's fourth claim regarding his competency to stand trial. Deaton's own mental health expert found him to be competent at the time of trial and that expert reiterated that position at the evidentiary hearing. Further, the record supports such a finding. The remainder of Deaton's claims as to his conviction are either procedurally barred or without merit. See Johnson v. State, 593 So.2d 206 (Fla.) (issues that could have been raised on direct appeal but were not, are noncognizable claims through collateral attack), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 113 S.Ct. 119, 121 L.Ed.2d 75 (1992); Smith v. State, 445 So.2d 323 (Fla. 1983) (same), cert. denied, 467 U.S. 1220, 104 S.Ct. 2671, 81 L.Ed.2d 375 (1984). See also Medina v. State, 573 So.2d 293 (Fla. 1990) (rule 3.850 proceedings are not to be used as a second appeal and it is inappropriate to use a different argument when seeking postconviction relief to relitigate issues previously disposed of). Given our disposition of this case as to the State's cross-appeal as discussed below, we find that we need not reach the remaining issues raised by Deaton regarding alleged errors at his sentencing proceeding.