Opinion ID: 1782423
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Failure to object to allegations of prior bad acts brought out in cross-examination of mitigation witnesses.

Text: ¶ 44. Turner argues that his attorneys were ineffective in the presentation of the mitigation case by opening the door to evidence of prior instances of bad conduct. The State cross-examined Turner's mitigation witnesses, who had testified that Turner had been a good child, by inquiring whether they knew that Turner had assaulted his mother and stepfather. On direct appeal, this Court found that Turner placed his character into evidence by calling witnesses who testified that he had been a good child. The Court found that the State was entitled to rebut that testimony by presenting evidence that Turner was the abuser and not the abused, at least on a couple of occasions. Turner, 732 So.2d at 950. ¶ 45. Turner maintains that his attorneys could have presented the evidence of abuse without opening the door to the prior bad acts testimony. He cites Woodward v. State, 635 So.2d 805 (Miss.1993). In Woodward, the Court found that the defendant's attorneys had been ineffective in their presentation of the mitigation case. The defense called a psychiatrist to testify about Woodward's mental illness. Out of fear that they would open the door to damaging character evidence, the defense limited the psychiatrist's testimony to the results of mental testing. The psychiatrist was not allowed to provide critical information about Woodward's history which apparently contributed to his mental problems which had been revealed in the psychiatrist's examination of Woodward. The Court held that counsel had improperly limited the testimony and that Woodward had been prejudiced as a result. ¶ 46. Turner claims that Woodward is indistinguishable. We find otherwise. Woodward holds that the attorneys who called the psychiatrist should have allowed him to give a complete picture of the results of his examination of the defendant including critical background history. That failure, coupled with an inadequate closing argument that failed to address the statutory mitigating factors, amounted to ineffective assistance. Here, there is no allegation that Turner's general background was not provided to the jury. The defense called the family members and Dr. Galvez who testified extensively about Turner's history. Further, there is no claim involving inadequate closing argument. ¶ 47. Turner argues that counsel could have put on the good character evidence without risking cross-examination about the bad character proof. He offers no authority to explain how counsel could have accomplished that. On one hand, Turner claims that his attorneys should have put on more character evidence witnesses, yet on the other, he argues that his attorneys were ineffective in failing to limit character evidence, so as to preclude opening the door to the bad acts questioning. We find no evidence in the record that counsel were ineffective in their presentation of the case in mitigation.