Opinion ID: 1826905
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 14

Heading: Cross-Race Identification

Text: Green claims that the trial court erred in summarily denying Green's ineffective assistance of counsel claim based on counsel's failure to challenge cross-race identification. Generally, a defendant is entitled to an evidentiary hearing on a postconviction relief motion unless (1) the motion, files, and records in the case conclusively show that the prisoner is entitled to no relief, or (2) the motion or a particular claim is legally insufficient. Freeman v. State, 761 So.2d 1055, 1061 (Fla.2000); see also Fla. R.Crim. P. 3.850(d). Additionally, where no evidentiary hearing is held below, we must accept the defendant's factual allegations to the extent they are not refuted by the record. Peede v. State, 748 So.2d 253, 257 (Fla. 1999). Green claims that counsel should have retained an expert witness on cross-race identification, requested a special instruction, and cross-examined Hallock on her ability to identify African-American people. First, the record conclusively shows that Green is not entitled to relief based on his claim that counsel was ineffective for failing to retain an expert witness on cross-race identification. It is unlikely that such testimony would have been admitted. See Johnson v. State, 438 So.2d 774, 777 (1983) (holding that trial court did not abuse its discretion in refusing to allow a professor of psychology to testify as an expert witness in the field of eyewitness identification); see also McMullen v. State 714 So.2d 368, 372 (Fla.1998) ( Johnson could be interpreted as a per se rule of inadmissibility of this type of testimony.). Second, Green's claim that counsel was ineffective for failing to request a jury instruction on cross-race identification is legally insufficient. Florida does not have a standard instruction on cross-race identification, and there is no reasonable probability that the result of the proceeding would have been different had such an instruction been given. Therefore, counsel's performance was not deficient for failing to request an instruction, and no prejudice resulted. Third, the record conclusively shows that Green is entitled to no relief based on his claim regarding counsel's failure at trial to cross-examine Hallock on cross-race identification. At the suppression hearing, Parker cross-examined Hallock on her interactions with black people. Hallock testified that she knew and occasionally socialized with particular black people. Her testimony was neutral with regard to her ability to identify Green. Therefore, Parker's decision at trial not to cross-examine her again on this subject was not unreasonable. Accordingly, Parker's performance was not deficient under Strickland, and his failure to cross-examine Hallock at trial did not prejudice Green.