Opinion ID: 739728
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Failure to Offer Corroborating Evidence

Text: 89 Villafuerte contends that Rood was ineffective by failing to offer certain items of evidence which would have corroborated his story. The first item was an unsigned, undated note of unknown authorship, written in Spanish, addressed to Roberto, found in the trailer. Villafuerte has not shown who wrote the note, nor has he demonstrated that it would have been admissible at trial had Rood wanted to offer it. Deficient performance under the Strickland standard has not been shown. 90 The second claim relates to bloody towels found in the trailer but not introduced into evidence. In his amended federal habeas petition, Villafuerte alleged that the bloodstained towels showed that he did not bind the victim, but instead tended her wounds. However, as the district court pointed out, Villafuerte's testimony was that he wiped Schoville's head with a sheet, not towels. The bloody towels did not corroborate his story. 6 91 The third claim relates to a photograph of Robert Grady found in the trailer. Villafuerte argues that this photograph proved Robert Grady existed and would have prevented the prosecutor from arguing that Grady was a figment of Villafuerte's imagination. Even assuming deficient performance, Villafuerte has not demonstrated prejudice. It is not reasonably probable that the jury would have refused to find Villafuerte guilty of the murder based on an alleged photograph of Robert Grady found in the trailer.