Opinion ID: 2489132
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Failure to Present Dr. Rifkin

Text: In his next subclaim, Wyatt alleges that his counsel was ineffective in failing to present Dr. Rifkin. [16] The postconviction court found that counsel made a strategic choice regarding the decision to not call Dr. Rifkin as a witness because this decision prevented very damaging testimony from being disclosed to the jury. We affirm this ruling. The record establishes that counsel made a strategic choice in not presenting this witness because if counsel had chosen to present Dr. Rifkin, the State could have cross-examined this expert regarding significant damaging evidence that Dr. Rifkin relied upon in making his report. This damaging evidence included the following: Dr. Rifkin was unable to find any evidence of brain damage or significant mitigating circumstances; Wyatt developed a reputation in middle school for being aggressive and became involved in criminal activity; Wyatt stole his grandmother's car; when he was released from prison at 17, his attitude was that people should not f___ with him because he was dangerous; Wyatt was physically abusive to his wife; Wyatt bragged that he was very effective at manipulating the system; Wyatt continued drug activities in prison where he was known by the nickname Killer; and Wyatt had antisocial personality disorder with criminal tendencies. This Court has repeatedly held that strategic decisions do not constitute ineffective assistance of counsel if alternative courses have been considered and rejected and counsel's decision was reasonable under the norms of professional conduct. Occhicone, 768 So.2d at 1048. Here, based on the significant damaging testimony that likely would have been disclosed if Dr. Rifkin testified, we conclude that counsel was not ineffective in failing to present this witness but instead choosing to present lay witnesses who would testify as to the mitigating circumstances without exposing the defense to the same type of damaging testimony as Dr. Rifkin's testimony would have done. Accordingly, we deny relief on this claim.