Opinion ID: 2389712
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Failure to Call R.T., M.B. and/or the Defendant to Testify.

Text: The post-conviction review court found that, [t]rial counsel's failure to call R.T., Twist's brother, M.B., R.T.'s girlfriend, and petitioner to the stand constituted reasonable trial strategy in that counsel were understandably concerned about the potential for damaging testimony on cross-examination. Twist, on several occasions, told trial counsel he wanted to take the stand on his own behalf. Trial counsel strongly advised Twist not to take the stand on his own behalf based upon their reasoning that if Twist admitted having sex with one of his daughters during cross-examination that admission would have a negative effect on his credibility and the court would have concluded that Twist had engaged in sexual acts with the other children as well. At the post-conviction review hearing, Twist testified that if he had taken the stand he would have admitted having sex with one of his daughters, but would have denied any sexual contact with the other children. On appeal, Twist argues that the post-conviction review court's determination was clearly erroneous. Twist argues that the trial court would have likely been impressed with his candor and accordingly trial counsels' tactical decision to keep Twist off the stand was manifestly unreasonable. While Twist's prediction of the trial court's reaction to his admission that he had sex with his minor daughter may be accurate, trial counsels' concern that such admission would be extremely damaging was well-founded. The post-conviction review court did not clearly err in finding that trial counsels' decision to keep Twist off the stand was not manifestly unreasonable. At the post-conviction review hearing, Twist introduced affidavits of R.T., Twist's brother, and M.B., R.T.'s girlfriend, suggesting that if they had been called to testify at the trial they would have testified as to a conspiracy among members of the Twist family against Twist and that two of the prosecution witnesses had reputations in the community for not telling the truth. On appeal, Twist argues the post-conviction review court clearly erred in not categorizing trial counsels' failure to call these witnesses manifestly unreasonable. Trial counsel had made a determination that another family member would be the best witness as she was neither a victim nor a perpetrator of incest. The decision of trial counsel not to put these witnesses on the stand or pursue the conspiracy theory in their defense of Twist clearly falls within the purview of trial tactics. Based on the rationale of trial counsel, the post-conviction review court properly concluded that trial counsels' decisions not to call these witnesses failed to reach the level of manifest unreasonableness. The post-conviction review court's finding is supported by competent evidence in the record and accordingly, there is no error.