Opinion ID: 1831577
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Failure to Raise the Denial of His Motion for Continuance in the Motion for a New Trial.

Text: ¶ 17. Walker contends his trial counsel's failure to raise the denial of his motion for continuance in the motion for new trial and to show this Court how the denial resulted in irreparable injury to the petitioners's defense constituted ineffective assistance of counsel. The claim relating to the denial of the continuance was presented this court on direct appeal. ¶ 18. This Court imposed a procedural bar to the consideration of this claim. Walker, 671 So.2d at 591. However, this Court also alternatively addressed the merits of the claim. Clearly, this Court is allowed to impose a procedural bar and alternatively address the merits without waiving the application of the bar. See Harris v. Reed, 489 U.S. 255, 260-63, 109 S.Ct. 1038, 1042-43, 103 L.Ed.2d 308 (1989). ¶ 19. Walker has recast this argument in the terms of a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel. We look to the alternative discussion of the merits of the claim. In discussing the merits of the claim this Court concluded the discussion with the following finding: Under the facts presented: where no discovery violation occurred; where the defense was afforded two days to review the fifty five minute videotape and accompanying typed transcript of Riser's statement (provided two months before trial); where extensive cross examination was conduced, and where there is no indication the case would have been handled differently had more time been allowed, the denial of a continuance was not in error. This assignment of error is procedurally barred and alternatively without merit. Walker, 671 So.2d at 593. ¶ 20. The benchmark for judging any claim of ineffectiveness [of counsel] must be whether counsel's conduct so undermined the proper functioning of the adversarial process that the trial cannot be relied on as having produced a just result. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 686, 104 S.Ct. at 2064. The test is two pronged: The defendant must demonstrate that his counsel's performance was deficient, and that the deficiency prejudiced the defense of the case. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 687, 104 S.Ct. at 2064; Washington v. State, 620 So.2d 966, 970 (Miss.1993). This requires a showing that counsel's errors were so serious as to deprive the defendant of a fair trial, a trial whose result is reliable. Unless a defendant makes both showings, it cannot be said that the conviction or death sentence resulted from a breakdown in the adversary process that renders the result unreliable. Stringer v. State, 454 So.2d at 477 (citing Strickland, 466 U.S. at 687, 104 S.Ct. at 2064). In any case presenting an ineffectiveness claim, the performance inquiry must be whether counsel's assistance was reasonable considering all the circumstances. Stringer, 454 So.2d at 477 (citing Strickland, 466 U.S. at 688, 104 S.Ct. at 2065; State v. Tokman, 564 So.2d 1339, 1343 (Miss. 1990)). ¶ 21. Judicial scrutiny of counsel's performance must be highly deferential. A fair assessment of attorney performance requires that every effort be made to eliminate the distorting effects of hindsight, to reconstruct the circumstances of counsel's challenged conduct, and to evaluate the conduct from counsel's perspective at the time. Because of the difficulties inherent in making the evaluation, a court must indulge a strong presumption that counsel's conduct falls within a large range of reasonable professional assistance; that is, the defendant must overcome the presumption that, under the circumstances, the challenged action might be considered sound trial strategy. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 689, 104 S.Ct. at 2065; Stringer, 454 So.2d at 477. In short, defense counsel is presumed competent. Bell v. Cone, 535 U.S. at 702, 122 S.Ct. 1843; Johnson v. State, 476 So.2d 1195, 1204 (Miss.1985). ¶ 22. Then to determine the second prong of prejudice to the defense, the standard is a reasonable probability that, but for counsel's unprofessional errors, the result of the proceeding would have been different. Mohr v. State , at 430. This means a probability sufficient to undermine the confidence in the outcome. Id. The question here is whether there is a reasonable probability that, absent the errors, the sentencerincluding an appellate court, to the extent it independently reweighs the evidencewould have concluded that the balance of the aggravating and mitigating circumstances did not warrant death. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 695, 104 S.Ct. at 2068. ¶ 23. There is no constitutional right then to errorless counsel. Mohr v. State, 584 So.2d at 430; Cabello v. State, 524 So.2d 313, 315 (Miss.1988) (right to effective counsel does not entitle defendant to have an attorney who makes no mistakes at trial; defendant just had right to have competent counsel). If the post-conviction application fails on either of the Strickland prongs, the proceedings end. Neal v. State, 525 So.2d 1279, 1281 (Miss. 1987); Mohr, 584 So.2d at 430. ¶ 24. In order to prove a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel a petitioner must show that counsel's performance was deficient and second, show that the deficient performance prejudiced the defendant. Both showings must be made. ¶ 25. Walker cannot demonstrate that there exists a reasonable probability that, even assuming deficient performance, that the results of the proceeding would have been different. Walker cannot show prejudice resulting from his trial counsel's actions. Additionally, because this Court found no merit in Walker's claim of error regarding the denial of the continuance, Walker cannot demonstrate prejudice and cannot establish a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel.