Opinion ID: 2537242
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Potential Impeachment Concerning Isidoro Rodriguez

Text: We next address the claims regarding Isidoro, Luis's brother, in which Rodriguez alleges violations of Strickland, Brady, and Giglio. Isidoro also gave inculpatory testimony against Rodriguez. Rodriguez's defense at trial was that both Isidoro and Luis actively participated in the crime and Rodriguez was merely a lookout. Isidoro, however, established at trial that he was in Orlando at the time of the murder. Nevertheless, because Isidoro admitted some involvement in events after the crime (that he had disposed of jewelry discovered by his mother underneath her trailer) and because Luis was Isidoro's brother, any impeachment of Isidoro also could have been helpful to the defense's case. Rodriguez alleges ineffective assistance in his defense lawyer's failure to impeach Isidoro, violations of Brady by the State's failing to disclose potential impeachment evidence pertaining to Isidoro, and violations of Giglio by the State's knowing presentation of false testimony. Rodriguez raises four distinct claims pertaining to Isidoro: (a) alleged secret dockets in Dade County involving Isidoro; (b) alleged involvement in drug activity and police investigations into such allegations; (c) alleged threats made by police to Isidoro; and (d) an alleged relationship between Isidoro and a member of the police department. We discuss each claim in turn and conclude that Rodriguez has not established a basis for relief under any of the claims asserted.