Opinion ID: 1655090
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Whether Woodward's defense counsel failed to prevent the jury from hearing about the prior convictions, arrests and bad acts of the Defendant.

Text: ¶ 18. Woodward asserts that his sentence must be vacated because the jury heard evidence of his prior bad acts. Woodward argues that this evidence was incompetent and inflammatory in character and thus carries with it a presumption of prejudice. Woodward contends that the admission of the evidence of prior bad acts was the reason the jury did not list lack of serious criminal history as a mitigating factor in their verdict. ¶ 19. During opening statements, Woodward's attorney told the jury about a dark influence over him and that he had claimed to have conversations with the devil. During the defense's case-in-chief, Woodward's trial counsel called several witnesses who testified about Woodward's background, including his arrest for stealing a car, his arrest for attempted murder in Louisiana, and his claim to have conversations with the devil. The defense also called Dr. Clarence Thurman, a clinical psychologist. During cross-examination of Dr. Thurman, the prosecutor had Dr. Thurman read from a report prepared in 1971, during Woodward's commitment to the state hospital at Whitfield. That report included a statement from Woodward's wife that, during one of his blackouts, Woodward lost control and abused her. That report included another statement from Woodward's wife that he could not recall attempting to strangle a girl in Louisiana. That report included Woodward's explanation of a suicide attempt as a prank on his wife. In his closing argument, the prosecutor discussed Woodward's arrests and other bad acts and argued that this evidence negated Woodward's mitigation argument that he had no significant criminal history. ¶ 20. Woodward asserts that his trial counsel were ineffective for introducing this evidence and failing to object during the prosecution's questioning of these witnesses. The affidavits of Michael Adelman and Terryl Rushing, Woodward's trial counsel, show otherwise. Counsel both state that it was their trial strategy to admit evidence that showed that Woodward was basically a good person who had been troubled all of his life, in an effort to show mitigating circumstances existed. In her affidavit, Terryl Rushing states, During the defense's case-in-chief, we introduced testimony regarding Paul's arrest and conviction for auto theft in about 1968 and his arrest for attempted murder and/or attempted rape in Louisiana in about 1971. Paul was never tried or convicted on the Louisiana charges. There was confusion over the exact charge in Louisiana and I never found out for certain what the charge was, although I understand Paul was indicted. We introduced testimony regarding these crimes because we feared the prosecution would be able to get into them, anyway. One reason for admitting these prior bad acts was our defense theory that Paul had been troubled all his life and had wrestled with good versus evil. He had always striven to do the right thing but was overwhelmed at the time he killed Rhonda Crane. This theory was also supported by conversations Paul claimed to have had with the devil which were also introduced by the Defense in its case-in-chief. In his affidavit, Michael Adelman states, At the sentencing trial we tried to humanize Paul for the jury by presenting him as a troubled guy who struggled to do the right thing. We presented evidence of Paul's arrest and conviction for auto theft in Memphis in about 1968 as well as Paul's arrest for attempted murder and/or rape in Louisiana for which he was not convicted. We also presented testimony regarding conversations Paul claimed to have had with the devil. Testimony concerning these matters was presented during the defense case-in-chief even though they were not mentioned by the State during its case-in-chief. Woodward's main mitigation argument was that he was mentally ill. It is clear from the record that Adelman and Rushing, through friendly witnesses, presented the evidence of Woodward's prior bad acts in the context that those acts were examples of Woodward's long battle with mental illness. ¶ 21. Woodward also argues that his trial counsel failed to object during the cross-examination of Dr. Thurman. The cross-examination of Dr. Thurman was not nearly as damaging as Woodward now contends. Dr. Thurman's report regarding Woodward's history of mental illness included statements made during Woodward's commitment to the state hospital at Whitfield. During cross-examination, Dr. Thurman was able to point out that Woodward had suffered from unexplained blackouts, and that the reports showed that Woodward had suffered from a long history of emotional problems, ... that in 1971 he completely lost control, attempted to strangle his wife that he loved. Additionally, since Woodward's prior criminal history was included in Dr. Thurman's report as part of the information which formed the basis for his opinions, Woodward's trial counsel could not have been successful in any objection raised regarding the contents of the report. See M.R.E. 611(b), 703 & 705. ¶ 22. Adelman and Rushing made strategic choices regarding the mitigation case to be made. This does not show deficient performance, but sound trial strategy. Woodward has failed to overcome the presumption that, under the circumstances, the challenged action `might be considered sound trial strategy.' Strickland, 466 U.S. at 689, 104 S.Ct. at 2065 (citations omitted). Accordingly, Woodward has not shown that his trial counsels' performance was deficient, nor has he shown any prejudice to his defense. This issue is without merit.