Opinion ID: 1107688
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: the doctrine of res judicata as a procedural bar to claims of ineffective assistance of counsel and mental retardation

Text: ¶ 15. On direct appeal, Branch presented claims of ineffective assistance of counsel under Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984), and mental retardation under Atkins v. Virginia, 536 U.S. 304, 122 S.Ct. 2242, 153 L.Ed.2d 335 (2002). See Branch v. State, 882 So.2d at 49-59. This Court rejected those claims. Id. Branch now asserts that he should not be precluded from raising the same issues again.
¶ 16. Branch's argument is similar to that presented in Issue I, being that procedural bars should not apply because the direct appeal process did not allow him an adequate opportunity to present a fully developed argument to support his Strickland and Atkins claims. He further asserts that the direct appeal process does not allow him access to the files of trial counsel, law enforcement officials, and the prosecutor, or allow him to secure a mitigation expert or an evidentiary hearing, otherwise available under M.R.A.P. 22(c), (d), and (e). ¶ 17. Branch argues that no procedural bar should prevent this Court from reconsidering his Strickland and Atkins claims. Further, Branch asserts his right to effective post-conviction relief counsel, and argues that failure of this Court to reconsider his Strickland and Atkins claim would deny him that right. ¶ 18. Branch was represented on direct appeal by counsel other than his trial counsel. M.R.A.P. 22(b), as it existed at the time of Branch's trial and direct appeal, stated: Issues which may be raised in post-conviction proceedings may also be raised on direct appeal. Where the appellant is represented by counsel who did not represent the appellant at trial, the failure to raise such issues on direct appeal shall constitute a waiver barring consideration of the issues in post-conviction proceedings. [1] Branch, 882 So.2d at 49. Branch raised the issues of mental retardation and ineffective assistance of counsel on direct appeal. Extraneous facts and appendices submitted on direct appeal that were not part of the trial record were challenged by the State; however, this Court allowed consideration of the extraneous material. For reasons fully discussed in the opinion on Branch's direct appeal, this Court held that Branch must raise Atkins and ineffective assistance of counsel issues in this direct appeal or he will be barred from doing so in subsequent appeals. Id. Therefore, this Court permitted Branch to proceed with these issues, and we considered the additional documents supplied in his Appendices to Original Brief of Appellant. Id. ¶ 19. This Court has also previously stated that [i]f new counsel on direct appeal is required to assert collateral claims, there must be an opportunity to submit extraneous facts and discovery and evidentiary hearing to develop and prove the allegations. Id. (citing Brown v. State, 798 So.2d 481, 491 (Miss.2001); Smith v. State, 477 So.2d 191, 195 (Miss.1985); Turner v. State, 590 So.2d 871, 874 (Miss. 1991); and Jackson v. State, 732 So.2d 187, 190 (Miss.1999)). Thus, Branch's argument that M.R.A.P. 22(c) violates his federal and state constitutional rights is without merit.
¶ 20. Branch asserts that he has not been afforded an opportunity to present a mental retardation claim. He asserts that such claims are appropriate for post-conviction proceedings but he was forced to present the issue on direct appeal. He further asserts that he has tried to comply with the requirements of Chase v. State, 873 So.2d 1013 (Miss.2004) and this Court has consistently refused to allow him to comply. ¶ 21. In Chase, this Court set the limits and defined the procedure which will safeguard the Eighth Amendment protection of mentally retarded persons, as required by Atkins. Chase was handed down on May 20, 2004  seven weeks after Branch's direct appeal was submitted on March 31, 2004, and one week before Branch's direct appeal was decided on May 27, 2004. ¶ 22. Branch filed a motion for rehearing and argued that he must be given an opportunity to comply with the procedure established in Chase. Attached to Branch's motion for rehearing as Exhibit A was an undated affidavit from Daniel Grant, Ph.D. [2] The State filed a motion to strike the exhibit, and this Court granted the motion. Branch v. State, 2004 Miss. LEXIS 1219 (Miss. Sept. 30, 2004). ¶ 23. First, Branch's argument that he has not had a single opportunity to present a mental retardation claim is false. The issue of Branch's mental retardation was considered on its merits. Specifically, this Court held: The burden of proof is on the defendant claiming mental retardation. Goodin [v. State], 856 So.2d at 276 (¶ 22). In Goodin, we pointed out that: The Legislature adopted the following standard in Miss.Code Ann. § 41-21-61(f) (Rev.2001), dealing with commitments, which states in part: (f) Mentally retarded person means any person (i) who has been diagnosed as having substantial limitations in present functioning, manifested before age eighteen (18), characterized by significantly subaverage intellectual functioning, existing concurrently with related limitations in two or more of the following applicable adaptive skill areas: communication, self-care, home living, social skills, community use, self-direction, health and safety, functional academics, leisure and work . . . Goodin, 856 So.2d at 276-77 (¶ 23). Branch argues that he is mentally retarded and, therefore, cannot be executed for this crime. In support of his argument, Branch relies solely on the Psychological Evaluation performed by the Region VI Mental Health-Mental Retardation Center on March 15, 1985, and the synopsis of that diagnosis in the 2002 court-ordered evaluation performed after Branch was arrested. Both documents were available to trial counsel; however, apparently as part of a trial strategy, neither document was used in the trial of this case. At the time of the 1985 evaluation, Branch was five years, three months old. Then seventeen years later and after his arrest in this case, the trial court ordered W. Criss Lott, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist, to perform a mental evaluation on Branch. In doing so, Dr. Lott acknowledged the previous testing: On that evaluation [Branch] obtained an IQ of 68 on the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, Form L-M. He also obtained an IQ of 41 on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Form B, and a Social Age Equivalent of 6.0 and Social Quotient of 113 (this appears to be a mistake). He also obtained a mental score of 3 years 6 months on the Goodenough-Draw-A-Man-Test. At that time he received the diagnosis of mild mental retardation with unknown etiology. However, the March 10, 2002, forensic mental evaluation of Branch reveals a different result. Branch was administered two separate tests. The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III (WAIS-III) revealed a verbal IQ of 91 (low average range), a performance IQ of 76 (borderline range), and a full scale IQ of 84 (low average range). The Wide Range Achievement Test-III (WRAT-3) revealed a reading score in the average range and at the high school level; the arithmetic score was in the low average range and at a sixth grade level. Dr. Lott indicated that the results are considered an accurate reflection of his current level of functioning. While Branch may have manifested intellectual limitations at the age of five, he does not have substantial limitations in present functioning which exist[] concurrently with related limitations in two or more of the following applicable adaptive skill areas: communication, self-care, home living, social skills, community use, self-direction, health and safety, functional academics, leisure and work. In fact, Branch has displayed no limitations in these adaptive skills areas. At the time of the evaluation, Branch was appropriately groomed and properly maintained personal hygiene, possessed a driver's license, was responsible for buying clothing, groceries, and personal items. He completed school through the 9th grade and attended GED classes. Branch was employed at the time of his arrest. Branch performed household chores for relatives and people in the neighborhood. He helped raise money for the church and community. Under these facts, Branch has not made a prima facie showing that he falls within the category of persons protected under Atkins. Under the guidelines of the American Psychiatric Association, Branch only meets the third criterion, that consisting of an onset of the manifestation prior to age 18; however, Branch fails to meet either of the first two criterion. Therefore, this issue is without merit. Branch, 882 So.2d at 50-51. ¶ 24. Branch filed his Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the United States Supreme Court on December 29, 2004, and his petition was placed on the docket January 4, 2005 as No. 04-7946. Branch v. Mississippi, 544 U.S. 907, 125 S.Ct. 1595, 161 L.Ed.2d 282 (2005). In his third issue before the United States Supreme Court, Branch argued that this Court was required to consider Dr. Grant's affidavit in light of the intervening decision in Chase. The U.S. Supreme Court denied Branch's petition for writ of certiorari on March 7, 2005. Id. ¶ 25. In Chase, we set forth specific requirements to be followed by the small number of persons with mental retardation claims convicted before Atkins and Chase were handed down. Chase, 873 So.2d at 1023. This Court made clear that as a person convicted before Atkins was handed down, Chase could not be constitutionally denied the opportunity to present his mental retardation claim to the trial court where he had demonstrated that his IQ fell within the range of possible mental retardation, and he presented an affidavit of a mental health care professional that he suffered from mild retardation. Id. Here, Branch has not complied with the necessary procedures nor provided the necessary documentation to rightfully comply with our holding in Chase. Therefore, we decline to grant relief on this issue.
¶ 26. Finally, Branch argues that if his appellate counsel was duty-bound to present post-conviction claims on direct appeal, then his appellate counsel was ineffective in the manner in which Branch's mental health was presented. Specifically, Branch accuses appellate counsel of hurriedly obtaining a few affidavits, which Branch asserts were generic, boilerplate statements that conveyed little note (sic) about Petitioner's mental state, background, or intellectual functioning. ¶ 27. The test for ineffective assistance of counsel is well-settled. The benchmark for judging any claim of ineffectiveness [of counsel] must be whether counsel's conduct so undermined the proper functioning of the adversarial process that the trial cannot be relied on as having produced a just result. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 686, 104 S.Ct. 2052. In order to prevail on this claim, Branch must demonstrate that counsel's performance was deficient and that the deficiency prejudiced the defense of the case. Id. at 687, 104 S.Ct. 2052. Unless a defendant makes both showings, it cannot be said that the conviction or death sentence resulted from a breakdown in the adversary process that renders the result unreliable. Stringer v. State, 454 So.2d 468, 477 (Miss.1984) (citing Strickland, 466 U.S. at 687, 104 S.Ct. 2052). ¶ 28. Defense counsel is presumed competent. Washington v. State, 620 So.2d 966 (Miss.1993). However, even where professional error is shown, a reviewing court must determine whether there is a reasonable probability that, but for counsel's unprofessional errors, the result of the proceeding would have been different. Mohr v. State, 584 So.2d 426, 430 (Miss.1991). When reviewing a case involving the death penalty, the most important inquiry is whether there is a reasonable probability that, absent the errors, the sentencer-including an appellate court, to the extent it independently re-weighs the evidence-would have concluded that the balance of the aggravating and mitigating circumstances did not warrant death. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 695, 104 S.Ct. 2052. If Branch's post-conviction application fails on either of the Strickland prongs, the proceedings end. Foster v. State, 687 So.2d 1124, 1129-30 (Miss.1996). ¶ 29. Branch's appellate counsel presented evidence to this Court on direct appeal, over the State's objection, in support of Branch's mental retardation claim. The extraneous evidence included the forensic mental evaluation of Branch performed on February 28, 2002, by W. Criss Lott, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist, as well as the mental evaluation of Branch performed on March 15, 1985, when Branch was only five years old. Also presented were the affidavits of Dr. Lott, numerous family members, and several of Branch's former teachers. Once this Court affirmed Branch's conviction and sentence on direct appeal, Branch's appellate counsel filed a motion for rehearing with an additional affidavit from Dr. Grant, which this Court struck upon motion by the State. Counsel for Branch then placed this issue before the United States Supreme Court in a petition for writ of certiorari. ¶ 30. We find that Branch has failed to show that his appellate counsel was deficient and, therefore, he has failed to meet the burden placed upon him by the first prong of Strickland. Additionally, Branch's claim of mental retardation failed on the merits on direct appeal. We must caution that other issues which were either presented through direct appeal or could have been presented on direct appeal or at trial are procedurally barred and cannot be relitigated under the guise of poor representation by counsel. Foster, 687 So.2d at 1129. III. ADMISSION OF VICTIM IMPACT TESTIMONY IV. REFUSAL OF DEFENSE SENTENCING INSTRUCTIONS DS-1, DS-5, AND DS-10 V. REFUSAL OF DEFENSE SENTENCING INSTRUCTION DS-2, DEFINITION OF MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES VI. REFUSAL OF DEFENSE SENTENCE INSTRUCTION DS-1, THE BURDEN OF PROOF VII. EFFECTIVENESS OF COUNSEL AT ALL STAGES OF THIS PROSECUTION A.1. INVESTIGATION AND PRESENTATION OF BRANCH'S MENTAL RETARDATION CLAIM DURING THE PENALTY PHASE OF THE TRIAL A.2. FAILURE TO INTRODUCE MENTAL HEALTH MITIGATION OTHER THAN THE FINDING OF MENTAL RETARDATION A.3. FAILURE TO INVESTIGATE VIII. STATE'S BURDEN TO SHOW THAT DEATH WAS THE APPROPRIATE SENTENCE IN THIS CASE IX. CLAIM OF MENTAL RETARDATION ¶ 31. Each of the Issues III-IX was raised on direct appeal and decided adversely to Branch. See Branch, 882 So.2d 36. [3] With the exception of Branch's Issue IX, [4] these issues and their respective arguments presented in Branch's PCR are identical, almost verbatim, to the arguments presented in Branch's Original Brief of Appellant on direct appeal. Branch has not demonstrated a novel claim nor a sudden reversal of law relative to these issues which would exempt a single one of these claims from the procedural bar of res judicata pursuant to Miss.Code Ann. § 99-39-21(3) (Supp.2006). See also Lockett v. State, 614 So.2d 888, 893 (Miss.1992) (citing Rideout v. State, 496 So.2d 667 (Miss. 1986); Gilliard v. State, 446 So.2d 590 (Miss.1984)). ¶ 32. For the foregoing reasons, this Court finds that Lawrence Branch is not entitled to post-conviction relief; therefore, we deny Branch's Petition for Post Conviction Relief with Exhibits and his Amendment to Petition for Post-Conviction Relief with Exhibits. ¶ 33. PETITION FOR POST-CONVICTION RELIEF WITH EXHIBITS AND AMENDMENT TO THE PETITION FOR POST-CONVICTION RELIEF WITH EXHIBITS, DENIED. SMITH, C.J., WALLER, P.J., EASLEY, DICKINSON AND RANDOLPH, JJ., CONCUR. DIAZ, P.J., DISSENTS WITH SEPARATE WRITTEN OPINION JOINED BY GRAVES, J.