Opinion ID: 1998751
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Failure to Present Self-Defense Evidence

Text: Rouster argues that trial counsel were ineffective for failing to present expert evidence to show the killings were committed in an act of self-defense. Self-defense is not available, however, as an affirmative defense when one is engaged in the commission of a robbery. Ind.Code Ann. § 35-41-3-2(d)(1) (West 1986). Rouster's proposed evidence (expert testimony meant to indicate the Reases' wounds were consistent with shots fired in self-defense) does not affect the evidence necessarily believed by the jury beyond a reasonable doubt that Rouster and Williams were both engaged in robbery at the time the killings occurred. Thus, even if we assume Rouster was indeed acting to protect himself (an assumption that is belied by virtually all of the evidence), he is barred from asserting self-defense since the jury found he was engaged in robbery at the time of the killings. Trial counsel were not ineffective for failing to offer self-defense evidence. B. Counsel's Penalty Phase Performance. Rouster next argues that his counsel were ineffective for insufficiently investigating and presenting mitigating evidence at sentencing, and for failing to move for a severance at the penalty phase.