Opinion ID: 564379
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Prejudice Test

Text: 50 Having found counsel's performance deficient for failing to further investigate available and potentially mitigating evidence, we must now decide whether counsel's performance prejudiced Kenley. The standard by which we judge prejudice is whether we find a reasonable probability that the outcome of the sentencing proceeding would have been different but for counsel's ineffectiveness. A reasonable probability is one sufficient to undermine our confidence in the outcome of the proceeding. We believe there is a reasonable probability Kenley would not have received a death sentence if some of the mitigating evidence had been presented. 51 The state courts and district court concluded as a matter of law that there was no prejudice because the mitigating evidence was scant and the aggravating evidence would have been more damaging. We have demonstrated that the state court fact finding was not supported by the record because the potential mitigating evidence was substantial. We do not agree as a matter of law that there was no prejudice because the other evidence would have significantly worsened the perception of Kenley's character. Rather, we believe the testimony would have put the aggravating evidence in context along with the mitigating evidence. 52 The state courts' conclusion on this issue was based on counsel's beliefs that the mitigating evidence would be unpersuasive to a jury in light of Dr. Parwatikar's report and additional potentially aggravating information. We do not believe reasonably effective counsel would have reached the same conclusion if, in addition to reviewing Crownover's records, counsel would have interviewed Dr. Manion and Dr. Richards or at least reviewed their reports, reviewed Kenley's military file, and interviewed family witnesses concerning Kenley's history and his condition the morning after arrest. This additional information would have been more than enough to mount a challenge to Parwatikar's report. The medical evidence of Kenley's condition may fall short of a mental disease or defect diagnosis but it is more than just the borderline non-severe personality disorder we found in Smith v. Armontrout, 888 F.2d 530, 534 (8th Cir.1989), and is more akin to an extreme personality or emotional disorder or disturbance. Cf. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 700, 104 S.Ct. at 2071 (at most evidence showed defendant was generally a good person, under a lot of stress, but not suffering from an extreme disturbance of any kind). Also, Kenley's alcohol problems were well documented by all doctors, and when combined with other evidence from the sheriff, news accounts and family testimony, would have been probative mitigating evidence of intoxication. 53 With regard to the potential for additional aggravating information, the most damning information in Parwatikar's report is the determination that Kenley was not insane or incompetent. As stated, as far as we are aware, such conditions are not prerequisites to information being considered mitigating evidence. See Eddings, 455 U.S. at 114-15, 102 S.Ct. at 877; Hayes v. Lockhart, 852 F.2d 339, 349 (8th Cir.1988) (psychiatric report stating defendant did not have mental disease or defect but documenting alcohol problem and anti-social personality disorder admitted as mitigating evidence), rev'd on other grounds, 491 U.S. 902, 109 S.Ct. 3181, 105 L.Ed.2d 691 (1989). 54 The other potentially damaging information consists principally of Kenley's anti-social behavior, violence and arrests (not convictions) when he was a minor. His sole conviction was already in evidence. Had all the reports been introduced into evidence and had all affiants and doctors testified, we do not deny the jury would have heard aggravating information. After conducting a reasonable investigation, counsel may conclude that the introduction of the mitigating evidence would barely have altered the sentencing profile presented, Strickland, 466 U.S. at 700, 104 S.Ct. at 2071, or that harmful information is greater than potential helpful information, and choose not to present certain evidence. Burger v. Kemp, 483 U.S. 776, 789-91, 107 S.Ct. 3114, 3123-24, 97 L.Ed.2d 638 (1987); Guinan, 909 F.2d at 1231. In this case we have concluded counsel did not conduct a reasonable investigation. But even if he had, in the context of what the jury had already heard at trial about Kenley's crazed and violent actions on the night of the crimes, we are doubtful that much of the additional aggravating information would have had any significant incremental aggravating effect on the jury. Furthermore, the aggravating information was mostly cumulative. Chambers, 907 F.2d at 829-30. 55 Given the sympathetic light in which Kenley's past behavior could have been presented, in the context of his family and medical background by Crownover and family affiants, given the significant evidence of medically significant conditions and disorders, suicidal tendencies, alcohol abuse and intoxication, and the prospects for successful treatment, we believe it was unreasonable for counsel to have presented no mitigating evidence. 56 Reasonable counsel might have been somewhat selective in his evidence presentation, but would not have cast aside all the mitigating evidence in this case. See Guinan, 909 F.2d at 1229 (after thoroughly reviewing all medical and psychiatric records, counsel requested a second psychiatric opinion); Smith v. Armontrout, 888 F.2d at 535 (decision by counsel to offer a mitigating circumstance, support it with expert testimony, but leave out documents that would at best have brought some additional increment of support for the diagnosis, while also carrying a substantial risk of making things worse, not unreasonable); Hayes 852 F.2d at 348-51 (counsel not ineffective for introducing only part of medical and psychological evidence where counsel conducted a thorough investigation, did introduce evidence of alcohol problems and treatment prospects, called live witnesses, and introduced psychiatric report into evidence). For the reasons stated, we find prejudice.