Opinion ID: 1684899
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Failure to Challenge the Preindictment Delay of Five Years

Text: Overton contends that the failure of his counsel to challenge the preindictment delay of five years constituted ineffective assistance. Overton has not demonstrated prejudice because the underlying claim involving preindictment delay is without merit. To possibly establish that a preindictment delay is a due process violation, the defendant must first show actual prejudice from the delay, and the court must then weigh any demonstrable reasons for the delay against the significance of the particular prejudice on a case-by-case basis. See Rivera v. State, 717 So.2d 477, 483 (Fla.1998) (citing Rogers v. State, 511 So.2d 526, 531 (Fla.1987)). If Overton's counsel had asserted a challenge based on the preindictment delay, the claim would have failed under both of the required elements. Under the first, Overton could not establish there was actual prejudice from the delay. Even assuming alibi witnesses and Amoco timecards or receipts would have established that Overton worked the late night shift on August 21, 1991, this would only provide an incomplete alibi at best as discussed above. See Rivera, 717 So.2d at 483-84 (holding that the ineffective assistance of counsel claim for counsel's failure to present the preindictment delay issue was without merit because there was no actual prejudice to the supposed alibi defense as the now unavailable witnesses would not have provided the defendant with an alibi for the time when the murder could have occurred). With regard to Lorna Swaby [19] no longer being available as a witness, this also does not constitute actual prejudice. Contrary to Overton's argument, there is no evidence that she would have been able to provide any information involving the allegation that Detective Visco planted Overton's DNA. See Overton, 801 So.2d at 897 ([T]he defense failed to produce a scintilla of evidence that Detective Visco planted the seminal fluids.) (emphasis added). During the evidentiary hearing, Detective Visco testified that he did not receive a used condom from Swaby and he had no knowledge that Overton's semen was planted. Finally, Overton's argument that the delay led to degradation or contamination of the DNA evidence lacks any evidentiary support. During the evidentiary hearing, Dr. Libby testified that he could not make the determination that degradation in fact resulted with the DNA evidence here. Moreover, Dr. Bever testified that Overton's DNA was a match and those samples did not show any significant signs of degradation. The evidence established that there were no signs of even minor degradation. Additionally, Dr. Pollock testified that degradation was not an issue here as any degradation was only a minor amount, which was insignificant to his opinion and examinations. The speculation by Overton that degradation must have occurred during the preindictment delay does not satisfy the actual prejudice requirement. See Maharaj v. State, 778 So.2d 944, 951 (Fla. 2000) (holding that the ineffective assistance claim was without merit because the conclusions to support the claim were sheer speculation and [p]ostconviction relief cannot be based on speculation or possibility). Under the second element, there was justification for the delay by law enforcement. But cf. Scott v. State, 581 So.2d 887, 892-93 (Fla.1991) (holding that the preindictment delay was a due process violation because actual prejudice was shown and the State had shown absolutely no need for any investigative delay). During the evidentiary hearing, F.K. Jones, who was the initial lead detective for the MacIvor murders, testified that all leads were pursued. With the large number of leads and suspects that were pursued prior to the DNA match for Overton in 1996, which occurred only after Overton's failed suicide attempt provided bloody towels because he had refused earlier requests to voluntarily provide a blood sample, it is reasonable that the other leads and suspects were investigated in a diligent manner. The preindictment delay of five years was not caused by any law enforcement wrongdoing, but instead, resulted from the multiple other leads and suspects that were pursued and the time period for law enforcement (through no fault of their own) to obtain a sample of Overton's blood. Thus, a claim by Overton involving preindictment delay would have failed for this reason. Accordingly, there was no prejudice.