Opinion ID: 495040
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Deficiency of Counsel

Text: 56 The record amply supports the district court's finding that the decision of Campbell's counsel not to present mitigating evidence at the sentencing proceeding was a reasoned strategic choice falling well within the wide range of professionally competent assistance. Id. at 690, 104 S.Ct. at 2066. One reason for the decision not to present mitigating evidence was to avoid opening the door to possible damaging rebuttal evidence by the state. The record shows that the state was prepared to present a vast array of aggravating evidence in rebuttal, including the forcible rape of Campbell's ex-wife, repeated rape and intimidation of fellow inmates, drug- and alcohol-induced violence, and the report of a psychologist that Campbell was imminently harmful to all who directly or indirectly capture his attention or interest. In addition, there were reportings of sexually abhorrent conduct with animals, stranglings of animals, [and] alleged child abuse. As one of Campbell's attorneys testified, [t]here pretty much was every kind of bad thing you could imagine [that] had been represented as potential aggravating testimony to be presented by the State. 57 In addition, Campbell's counsel correctly interpreted Bartholomew 's restriction on the state's ability to present aggravating evidence. Faced with the choice of limiting the state to a relatively tame presentation of Campbell's prior convictions, or potentially opening the door to devastating rebuttal evidence, Campbell's counsel chose the former route by electing not to present mitigating evidence. In one of the attorney's words, [p]resentation of those [mitigating] items in my mind would bring forth a parade of horribles that in my opinion would so far bury those factors in mitigation that any chance we had of saving his life would have been lost. 5 58 Campbell also faults his attorneys for not filing motions in limine to determine exactly what evidence the state would be able to present in rebuttal. We recognize, however, that counsel is strongly presumed to have ... made all significant decisions in the exercise of reasonable professional judgment, Strickland, 466 U.S. at 690, 104 S.Ct. at 2066. The record shows that Campbell's lead counsel was very experienced--a veteran of hundreds of felony trials, including many first-degree murder cases--and was specifically engaged as co-counsel because of his past capital experience. Counsel testified that he did not file any motions in limine because, based on his education and experience, he had a splendid idea of what was going to be allowed. We respect that professional judgment. 59 Campbell next argues that counsel were ineffective because they did not thoroughly investigate all possible avenues which may have led to mitigating evidence. See Strickland, 466 U.S. at 690-91, 104 S.Ct. at 2066 (counsel has a duty to make reasonable investigations or to make a reasonable decision that makes particular investigations unnecessary). The record indicates, however, that Campbell's attorneys conducted a reasonable investigation. 6 See Burger v. Kemp, --- U.S. ----, 107 S.Ct. 3114, 3116, 97 L.Ed.2d 638 (1987) (decision not to mount an all-out investigation into petitioner's background was supported by reasonable professional judgment); Woratzeck v. Ricketts, 820 F.2d 1450, 1456-57 (9th Cir.1987) (counsel conducted sufficient inquiry into mitigating value of potential witness' testimony), amended, (9th Cir. Sept. 1, 1987). Counsel were well aware of the potential mitigating factors which may have been introduced at the sentencing proceedings: Campbell's father was an alcoholic; Campbell was the victim of child abuse; he suffered from various medical problems as a young child; he had a history of drug and alcohol abuse; he had reportedly attempted suicide on one occasion; he had requested a transfer from the Everett Work Release Facility because he did not want to be near Renae Wicklund; and he was the father of two children. 60 Campbell does not suggest any potential mitigating evidence that could have been uncovered through a more thorough investigation. He does criticize his attorneys, however, for failing to interview his family and childhood friends, classmates, and teachers. Nevertheless, Campbell specifically requested his attorneys not to contact members of his family. The client's wishes are not to be ignored entirely. The reasonableness of counsel's actions may be determined or substantially influenced by the defendant's own statements or actions. Counsel's actions are usually based, quite properly, on informed strategic choices made by the defendant and on information supplied by the defendant. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 691, 104 S.Ct. at 2066. Moreover, Campbell's wishes were again consistent with the professional judgment of his attorneys that such interviews were unnecessary and would not have made any difference in the context of this case. One counsel testified: 61 It is my conclusion, after reading all of the files and talking with Mr. Campbell and going through the case, that Mr. Campbell's activities in prison were such that anything presented about his childhood was not going to make any difference. The one hope that I had in trying to save his life was that there was no evidence before the Jury that he had misconducted himself in prison. And what I hoped--obviously it didn't work out--but what I hoped was that the Jury might spare his life because there was no evidence that he was not a model prisoner in a controlled environment. 62 Here, counsel's decision not to mount an all-out investigation into [Campbell's] background in search of mitigating circumstances was supported by reasonable professional judgment. Burger, 107 S.Ct. at 3126. 63 Finally, Campbell asks this court to apply a per se rule requiring the presentation of mitigating evidence in the sentencing phase of a capital trial. Such a rule, however, would directly conflict with Strickland. 64 In any case presenting an ineffectiveness claim, the performance inquiry must be whether counsel's assistance was reasonable considering all the circumstances.... No particular set of detailed rules for counsel's conduct can satisfactorily take account of the variety of circumstances faced by defense counsel or the range of legitimate decisions regarding how best to represent a criminal defendant. Any such set of rules would interfere with the constitutionally protected independence of counsel and restrict the wide latitude counsel must have in making tactical decisions. 65 Strickland, 466 U.S. at 688-89, 104 S.Ct. at 2065. Moreover, the Supreme Court has implicitly rejected Campbell's position by its decisions holding no constitutional error despite counsel's failure to present any mitigating evidence. See, e.g., Burger, 107 S.Ct. at 3126; Darden v. Wainwright, 477 U.S. 187, 106 S.Ct. 2464, 2474, 91 L.Ed.2d 144 (1986). 66 We conclude that considering the particular circumstances of this case, including Washington's rule of law limiting the evidence the state may present at the sentencing proceeding, the decisions of Campbell's counsel regarding mitigating evidence meet the standard for professionally competent assistance set forth in Strickland.