Opinion ID: 2512660
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 18

Heading: Yugoslavian consulate

Text: Nika argues that the district court erred by dismissing his claim that trial counsel were ineffective for failing to contact the Yugoslavian consulate because had counsel done so, the consulate would have provided immense help in securing mitigation. [101] Nika failed to identify what mitigation evidence the consulate could have provided other than to assert that the consulate could have explained that the vulgar name Smith allegedly called Nika would have incited the reasonable passions of an average, reasonable Romanian, Serbian or Yugoslavian.  Nika contends that this evidence would have shown in the guilt phase and penalty hearing that Smith's murder was at most a heat of passion, impulsive killing. However, we conclude that Nika failed to demonstrate that there was a reasonable probability of a different outcome but for counsel's failure to contact the consulate. The evidence showed that Smith suffered three blunt force trauma wounds and skull fractures on the back of his head, one of which was inflicted while Smith was lying down. Smith also suffered a contact bullet wound to his forehead. These wounds evince a calculated, deliberate act. It is not clear what additional evidence the consulate could have provided or that there was a reasonable probability of a different outcome had evidence of Yugoslavian social mores been obtained. Therefore, we conclude that the district court did not err by summarily dismissing this claim. [102]