Opinion ID: 2639482
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Calling Dr. Buckey as a Defense Witness at the Penalty Phase

Text: The defense called Dr. Steven Buckey, a clinical psychologist, as an expert witness at the penalty trial. Dr. Buckey described the problems experienced by children of families with alcoholism and domestic violence. He said that defendant's behavior problems were related to having an alcoholic and abusive parent, as well as to defendant's own alcoholism. He did not, however, talk to defendant about the charged crimes or connect defendant's problems with any specific mitigating factor. On cross-examination by the prosecutor, Dr. Buckey acknowledged that defendant's behavior also indicated an antisocial personality and that defendant's alcoholism itself was symptomatic of an antisocial personality. He agreed with the prosecutor that defendant is a person who doesn't have a conscience and said defendant would be very difficult, if not impossible, to treat in any setting. Defendant argues that, on the whole, Dr. Buckey's testimony was harmful rather than helpful. Defendant thus contends that he was denied his state and federal constitutional rights to the effective assistance of counsel as a result of his attorney's decision to call Dr. Buckey as a witness. The record, however, sheds no light on whether counsel's action was a reasonable tactical choice. It does not describe counsel's interviews with Dr. Buckey, what counsel did to prepare Dr. Buckey for cross-examination, or what other expert witnesses might have been available. Thus on appeal we cannot determine whether defense counsel acted incompetently in calling Dr. Buckey as an expert witness.