Opinion ID: 1920175
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: failure to rehabilitate juror williams

Text: Johnson argues that the trial court erred in summarily denying his claim that counsel was ineffective for failing to rehabilitate juror Williams. During the State's questioning, Williams continually stated that he could not impose the death penalty. He was asked the following question: Mr. Bagley [the State]: ... What I need, even though you may prefer not to recommend the death penalty, would you be able to do so? Mr. Williams: No. Mr. Bagley: You would not be? Mr. Williams: No. As shown above, Williams definitively stated that he would not be able to recommend the death penalty. While Johnson alleges that counsel was ineffective for failing to rehabilitate Williams, he does not state what questions counsel could have asked to rehabilitate Williams. It is doubtful that any attempt at rehabilitation would have been successful. Counsel's performance was not deficient and summary denial was proper. See Kimbrough v. State, 886 So.2d 965 (Fla.2004); Gaskin v. State, 737 So.2d 509, 516 (Fla.1999); see also Reaves v. State, 826 So.2d 932 (Fla. 2002) (affirming summary denial of ineffective assistance claims where no challenge for cause would have been successful for named jurors and where claims that follow-up questions would have revealed a basis for cause challenges constituted mere conjecture).