Opinion ID: 2389712
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Failure to Call a Nurse Practitioner as a Witness or Introduce Into Evidence Hospital Records.

Text: At trial, Jane Doe [1] offered the only direct evidence in support of Counts III and V (Gross Sexual Misconduct). During cross-examination at trial, Doe denied ever being asked by a nurse practitioner about sexual abuse by Twist. The nurse practitioner had examined Doe on two occasions and had prepared a written report following these examinations. At the post-conviction review hearing, the practitioner testified and her notes reflected that Doe had denied having been sexually molested by the petitioner. At the post-conviction review hearing, trial counsel testified that prior to the original trial they had access to the records prepared by the nurse practitioner, and had tried to subpoena the nurse practitioner for the original trial but were told she was away on vacation. Trial counsel indicated that they believed the nurse practitioner's testimony would be of minimal value because Doe's denial that she had engaged in sexual acts with the petitioner occurred prior to the time formal allegations were made and they had other testimony of Doe's pretrial statements. The testimony of the nurse practitioner and the medical records prepared by her would have challenged the trial testimony of Doe. There was, however, other testimony that Doe had denied, subsequent to Twist's indictment but prior to trial, being sexually abused by Twist. The failure to offer the testimony of the nurse practitioner and her records at trial did not deprive petitioner of an otherwise available substantial ground of defense. There was evidence impeaching Doe's testimony. Despite this evidence, the trial court found Doe's testimony to be credible. The review court found that trial counsels' decision not to introduce testimony from the nurse practitioner and her notes was not manifestly unreasonable. That finding was not clearly erroneous.