Opinion ID: 2178431
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Inadequate representation by trial counsel.

Text: We must premise our discussion of this issue with an opening statement on the realities of life in criminal trials. Trial counsel's competency cannot be fairly judged by the result of the trial alone and the mere fact counsel's endeavors proved unsuccessful does not necessarily indicate legal inefficiency or lack of diligence but may rather point to a well-laid strategy that failed to work out. In other words, it is not enough that counsel's strategy did not result in a verdict of not guilty. Lizotte v. State, 1968, Me., 247 A.2d 98. Unless counsel's conduct in the management of the defense demonstrates ignorance of the law, lack of diligence and errors of judgment, of such substance and nature that the trial under the circumstances is but a farce or sham and the legal representation a mere perfunctory one amounting to no representation, a defendant has not been deprived of his constitutional right to effective assistance of counsel. Lizotte v. State, supra; Bennett v. State, 1965, 161 Me. 489, 214 A.2d 667. Mere errors in trial tactics, including a failure to renew a motion for a verdict of acquittal, or to make a motion for new trial, do not amount in and of themselves to inadequate representation. See, Stevens v. State, 1962, 230 Md. 47, 185 A.2d 194. Counsel's failure to pursue his cross-examination of the prosecutrix to lay a proper foundation for review, as well as his failure to object to the Court's instructions to the jury concerning the defendant's retraction of plea to the crime of fellatio, may be viewed as expedient strategy, in the accused's interest, not to risk emphasizing the strength of the State's case. Even if upon hindsight such procedural maneuvers may seem unwise, they do not per se spell out inadequacy of counsel representation. See, Brown v. State, 1965, 237 Md. 492, 207 A.2d 103. Furthermore, a defendant cannot through counsel expressly indicate to the Court that he has no objections to the charge and no further requests for instructions, then await the jury verdict and, if it is against him, lay claim to error on the ground of insufficiency of the instructions. See, Ramsey v. State, 1965, 239 Md. 561, 212 A.2d 319. Rule 37(a), M.R.Crim.P., provides in pertinent part: An appeal from a judgment preserves for review any claim of error in the record including any claim of error in the denial of a motion for new trial, the denial of a motion for judgment of acquittal, or the denial of a motion in arrest of judgment. Inadequacy of counsel representation does not come within the literal terms, nor the spirit, of the rule. The matter of the competency of trial counsel, who is not the same as counsel on appeal, was not raised, tried or decided in the Court below. This suggestion is made for the first time on appeal. We note that in the posture of the case, counsel whose professional ability and integrity are impugned, if we should entertain this point of appeal, would be afforded no opportunity to be heard. The present record would therefore be incomplete. We believe that the orderly and proper procedure for the fair administration of justice requires that we defer appellate review of the issue of inadequate counsel representation to habeas corpus post conviction proceedings under 14 M.R. S.A. §§ 5502-5508. Our refusal to determine this issue on direct appeal from the judgment of conviction will not preclude the defendant from resorting to such post conviction statutory remedies for that purpose. The determination would then be made upon a proper evidentiary hearing, with full findings and record, at which both the appellant and his trial counsel would be afforded opportunity to be heard. See, Boswell v. State, 1968, 5 Md.App. 571, 249 A.2d 490; Franklin v. State, 1969, 6 Md.App. 572, 252 A.2d 487. Although the appellant had ample opportunity to complain to the trial Court of his counsel's action or inaction he did not do so; under such circumstances he may not raise the issue of inadequate representation on direct appeal. We do not intimate that incompetency of counsel may never be considered by this Court on direct appeal. If, for instance, from the face of the record on appeal it clearly appeared that ineptness of counsel had resulted in a denial to the appellant of his constitutional right of adequate counsel representation resulting in a failure of due process and a deprivation of a fair trial, this Court's inherent power to grant relief for manifest error would certainly be exercised. But this is not such a case. The entry will be Appeal denied.