Opinion ID: 1649620
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 28

Heading: Failure to present effective psychological evidence in mitigation.

Text: ¶ 35. Brown contends that Dr. Marsha Little was called by defense counsel to attest to mitigation evidence when she had been retained by defense counsel to give an opinion only on petitioner's competence to stand trial. Brown submits an affidavit prepared by Little in which she now claims that she had insufficient time in which to review Brown's family history and administer tests to evaluate brain damage. At trial, Dr. Little informed the jury that Brown was mentally retarded and had a history of drug abuse. There is no showing that further evaluation of Brown would have produced more favorable mitigation evidence nor is there a showing that any additional mitigation evidence on Brown's mental state would have altered the jury's decision. Brown is essentially arguing that Dr. Little's testimony was ineffective; however, he is not constitutionally entitled to the effective assistance of an expert witness. Wilson v. Greene, 155 F.3d 396, 401 (4th Cir.1998). The issue is without merit.