Opinion ID: 51486
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Early Formulation of Trial Strategy

Text: Bower's claims do not facially demonstrate that Buckner failed to conduct a reasonable investigation. Neither Buckner's early formulation of a defense strategy nor his failure to call experts conclusively demonstrates that there was no investigation. An early formulation of trial strategy and a decision to attack the state's expert witnesses on cross examination rather than calling additional experts can be a part of a reasonable trial strategy. See Strickland, 466 U.S. at 691, 104 S.Ct. 2052. When analyzed under our case law, the record does not support the conclusion that Buckner failed to conduct a constitutionally sufficient investigation in preparation for trial. Based on the evidentiary record before it, the district court made specific findings that Buckner visited the scene of the crime, interviewed state and federal investigators, and interviewed or elicited statements from all of the state's witnesses. When Buckner received police investigative reports, he directed his wife, an experienced parole officer, to screen and collate the documents. Buckner testified that he followed every tip he received concerning alternate theories. For example, after hearing of a person named Runnels who had information regarding other possible perpetrators, Buckner contacted him, through intermediaries, and determined that his testimony was unhelpful. Buckner also testified that he interviewed an ultralight dealer before the trial and he reviewed the state's investigative file. Buckner gave further testimony at the evidentiary hearing that he considered all the evidence against Bower before developing a strategy. The evidence initially given to Buckner was pieces of an ultralight airplane found in Bower's garage and telephone records showing that Bower had telephone contact with one of the deceased. Buckner also testified that after being retained, he received copies of the state's investigative work. Buckner stated that although his working theory was time/proximity, he only pursued this defense after meeting with Bower and considering all of the state's evidence. Buckner also implied, contrary to Bower's assertions that Buckner reviewed the state's evidence only a few weeks before trial, that he had considered some of the state's evidence even before meeting with Bower: In this case I already had the lab reports and the officer's testimony. . . . It was inconsistent with [Bower's] story. Buckner's actions are not comparable to the insufficient investigations found to be ineffective in our sister circuits. In White, the attorney completely failed to investigate the defendant's alibi and failed to interview potential witnesses. White, 301 F.3d at 801. In Rios, the attorney formulated an unconsciousness defense strategy after interviewing a single witness who was underage and had admitted that she was drinking on the night of the crime. Additionally, the attorney made that decision despite reading statements in police reports from other witnesses, whom he did not interview, stating that his client did not commit the crime. Rios, 299 F.3d at 805-07. Here, according to his testimony, which the district court found credible, Buckner did weigh the evidence before formulating his strategy. The trial record also supports the conclusion that Buckner interviewed all the relevant witnesses [3] as well as investigated potential leads and attempted to place this information before the jury through vigorous cross-examination. Furthermore, Buckner's performance at trial, in particular his cross examination of the state's expert witnesses, see subsection f supra, rebuts Bower's argument that Buckner failed to conduct an investigation or prepare for trial. In particular, Buckner's deft handling of Sheriff Driscoll at trial demonstrates that he both understood the state's strategy in prosecuting the case and formulated a reasonable strategy of his own to counter it. Buckner called the Sheriff to the stand during his own case presentation. Ronald Sievert, one of the prosecutors at Bower's trial, testified that Buckner's calling the Sheriff raised a lot of problems because Sheriff Driscoll talked about all the wild theories that came out, and there was a potential of confusing the jury from the government's side. This decision shows definite strategic preparation on Buckner's part because he knew that the government hoped to suppress all their previous theories precisely because these theories would distract from the circumstantial case they had against Bower. The district court found Buckner's testimony regarding his preparation credible, and after our own independent review of the record, we find no clear error in the district court's determination.