Opinion ID: 668236
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Counsel At the First Trial

Text: A review of the record reveals that Sheldon has not, in the district court below or in this Court in writing, expressly charged his first attorney with conflict of interest. The facts of his first attorney's conflict shed light upon attorney Philip Jefferson's conflict in the second trial--and it is Jefferson's conflict which forms the basis of Sanders' habeas claim here. Simply put, the conflict of Sheldon's first attorney led him to pursue Sheldon's weak alibi and inside shot defenses and to neglect Sheldon's more credible mistaken identity defense. This, along with Jefferson's own conflict, may have contributed to Jefferson's decision to continue to pursue Sheldon's weakest defenses at the expense of his strongest. In any event, the facts before us relating to the rendition of legal services by Sheldon's first attorney make it impossible in this case for us to do justice and at the same time to ignore the existence of the first attorney's conflict. 1 Sheldon's first attorney initially was retained by Xavier, Sheldon's brother, in connection with the same incident as that for which petitioner was charged, namely, the shooting of Norman Gregory. 2 Conflicts of interest can arise both in cases of simultaneous representation and successive representation, though it generally is more difficult to demonstrate an actual conflict resulting from successive representation. Mannhalt, 847 F.2d at 580.... 3 ... In successive representation, conflicts of interest may arise if the cases are substantially related or if the attorney reveals privileged communications of the former client or otherwise divides his loyalties. Mannhalt, 847 F.2d at 580. Among the dangers in a successive representation situation is that the attorney who has obtained privileged information from the former client may fail to conduct a rigorous cross-examination for fear of misusing that information. United States v. Agosto, 675 F.2d 965, 971 (8th Cir.1982). 4 Fitzpatrick, 869 F.2d at 1252. Here, as in Fitzpatrick, Sheldon's first attorney successively represented two different clients, each of whom was a prime suspect for the role of the killer. It is true that Sheldon's first attorney only served as counsel for Xavier for a brief period; however, if, during that brief time, Xavier indeed confided his guilt to the attorney, then the question arises as to whether the attorney subsequently was incapable of mounting an adequate defense on behalf of Sheldon. 5 The first attorney's transfer of Xavier's retainer, with the latter's approval, for use in the defense of Sheldon raises a further question as to which master Sheldon's first attorney felt bound to serve. Nor does the fact that one or both of Sheldon's parents may have assumed responsibility for all or some of the remainder of the first attorney's fee alleviate this concern. Indeed, it is not hard to imagine the potential for conflicting pressures upon an attorney from parents concerned with protecting not only one, but two of their sons, even though the record itself gives no actual indication of Sheldon's first attorney having been subjected to any such pressure. 6 In this case, the adverse impact upon Sheldon of his first attorney's conflicting loyalties is strongly indicated by that attorney's advice to Xavier to assert his Fifth Amendment right not to testify during Sheldon's trial. Thus, in effect, Sheldon's first attorney counseled a key--perhaps the key--witness not to offer testimony which seemingly would have exculpated his client, the defendant, Sheldon. Such behavior could have stemmed from the first attorney's continuing sense of obligation to Xavier. But such conduct, if it in fact occurred for that reason, clearly violated that attorney's duty to Sheldon. And, of course, that is true even if the attorney concluded that he (the attorney) could have his cake and eat it, too, by arguing Xavier's guilt to the jury in an attempt to exonerate Sheldon while at the same time preventing Xavier from incriminating himself. Indeed, Sheldon's first attorney partially succeeded during the first trial in accomplishing just that, by gaining an evenly split jury and consequent mistrial for Sheldon and keeping Xavier from incriminating himself.