Opinion ID: 1778765
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Defense counsel suffered from an obvious and highly prejudicial conflict of interest, exploited by the prosecution in front of the jury.

Text: ś 20. Manning's first assignment of error is that he was denied his Sixth Amendment right to effective assistance of counsel. He claims that his defense attorney, Mark Williamson, suffered from a conflict of interest which was prejudicial to Manning's case. ś 21. Manning bases his claim of ineffectiveness on the fact that Williamson had, in the past, represented one of the state's key witnesses. Williamson had represented Paula Hathorn on prior charges involving bad checks. At trial, Williamson, on cross-examination, attempted to impeach Hathorn with her prior charges. He brought out that she had agreed to pay the checks, but that she had not yet done so. On re-direct by the State, Hathorn testified that Williamson had been her attorney and that he had failed to take care of the checks as she had expected him to do. The State argues that it was necessary to bring this information out in order to rehabilitate Hathorn, to show why she had not yet paid. ś 22. Manning asserts that Williamson had a conflict of interest because he represented Hathorn on charges that were a significant source of impeachment. This, Manning argues, hindered Williamson in fully exploring the circumstances of those charges, pleas and sentences in order to protect his own reputation. ś 23. In order to succeed on his ineffective assistance of counsel argument, Manning must meet the standard set out in Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984), adopted by this Court in Stringer v. State, 454 So.2d 468 (Miss.1984). The benchmark for judging any claim of ineffectiveness 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. 2052. ś 24. Manning must meet a two-part test: First, he must demonstrate that Williamson's performance was deficient. This requires a showing that counsel made errors so serious that counsel was not functioning as the counsel guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment. Id. at 687, 104 S.Ct. 2052. Second, Manning must show that the deficient performance prejudiced the defense. This requires showing that counsel's errors were so serious as to deprive the defendant of a fair trial. Id. Unless, Manning 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. Id. ś 25. In the case sub judice, Manning challenges the effectiveness of counsel based on loyalty, not competence. His claim is that Williamson had a conflict of interest. In Smith v. State, 666 So.2d 810, 812 (Miss. 1995), this Court held [t]he effective right of counsel encompasses the right to representation by an attorney who does not owe conflicting duties to other defendants. Smith, 666 So.2d at 812(citing Stringer v. State, 485 So.2d 274, 275 (Miss.1986)). Actual conflicts of interest have also been found where defense counsel represented the defendant and witnesses for the State against the defendant. See Littlejohn v. State, 593 So.2d 20 (Miss.1992); Smith v. State, 666 So.2d 810 (Miss.1995). ś 26. Under the first prong, it must be determined if Manning's counsel was faced with an actual conflict of interest. Under the second prong, [p]rejudice is presumed only if the defendant demonstrates that counsel `actively represented conflicting interests' and that `an actual conflict of interest adversely affected his lawyer's performance'. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 692, 104 S.Ct. 2052 (quoting Cuyler v. Sullivan, 446 U.S. 335, 350, 100 S.Ct. 1708, 64 L.Ed.2d 333 (1980)); Smith v. State, 666 So.2d 810, 812-13 (Miss.1995)(quoting Cabello v. State, 524 So.2d 313, 316 (Miss.1988)). ś 27. Manning asserts that Williamson's prior representation of Hathorn hindered his cross-examination of her. He cites Smith and Littlejohn to support his contention that this was an actual conflict of interest that prejudiced him. ś 28. Both Smith and Littlejohn are distinguishable from the case at hand. In Smith, the defendant was convicted of selling cocaine to an undercover informant. Latham, the state's key witness, sold cocaine at the same location and time as Smith, but to a different informant. Smith and Latham were represented by the same public defender. Latham testified about Smith's participation in the double sale. Latham was not indicted for this charge. Latham had though pled guilty to a previous crime and sentencing was deferred. The public defender had negotiated that agreement with the State. On cross-examination, the public defender asked Latham if he had pled guilty to the previous charge, and Latham responded, You was my lawyer, you could tell me. The record reflected that the public defender prematurely ended the cross-examination, leaving this Court to wonder why. This Court found that Latham's testimony became a centerpole of the State's case against Smith, and that the dual representation by the public defender of both Latham and Smith constituted an actual conflict of interest. This Court further found that the only explanation for the termination of the cross-examination was the public defender's loyalty to Latham. Smith v. State, 666 So.2d 810, 812-13 (Miss.1995). ś 29. The case sub judice is distinguishable from Smith. At the time of the cross-examination in this case, Williamson owed no conflicting duty to Hathorn. In Smith, the public defender was still representing Latham as his sentencing had been deferred. Also, Hathorn was not a co-defendant and was not represented by Williamson on related charges or in any plea negotiations regarding her testimony in the case. In Smith, Latham was implicated, although not indicted, as a co-participant to Smith. Further, the public defender was representing him on a charge for which sentencing had been deferred. As it turns out, the defender continued to represent Latham and Smith for a year after the trial when the charge to which Latham pled guilty was retired to the files, indicating to this Court that Latham was rewarded for his testimony. Id. at 812. Finally, Hathorn's testimony cannot be characterized as the centerpole of the State's case against Manning as Latham's was in Smith. Hathorn was one of a myriad of witnesses for the State including the sheriff, sheriff's deputies, police officers, and FBI agents. Manning argues that Hathorn's testimony alone linked him to the murder weapon. She did testify that she had witnessed him shooting into a tree. More damning testimony came, though, from a ballistics expert who matched the bullets from the tree to those that killed Jon and Tiffany. ś 30. Littlejohn v. State, 593 So.2d 20 (Miss.1992), is also distinguishable. In that case, the attorney who represented the defendant was also counsel for the State's main witness in the trial against her for the same offense. The attorney had negotiated the State's witness's plea bargain. Part of the bargain was that the witness would testify against the defendant in her trial. Littlejohn, 593 So.2d at 22-23. These facts are clearly distinguishable from the facts in the case at hand. Williamson had merely represented Hathorn in the past on totally unrelated charges. He did not represent her in any plea negotiations related to Manning's case, nor did he have a continuing or conflicting duty to her at the time of trial. See Perry v. State, 682 So.2d 1027, 1030 (Miss. 1996). ś 31. The record indicates that Williamson conducted a full cross-examination of Hathorn. He asked her about her previous charges as well as whether she had been offered any deals in exchange for her testimony. It was not brought out until re-direct by the State that Williamson had been her attorney on some of the false pretense charges. The record does not indicate that Williamson's performance was affected by his prior representation of Hathorn. ś 32. Williamson did not have an actual conflict of interest in his representation of Manning, that affected his performance. Therefore, prejudice cannot be presumed. Manning must therefore, demonstrate the prejudice that he suffered. Perry v. State, 682 So.2d at 1031. He must show a reasonable probability that, but for counsel's unprofessional errors, the result of the proceeding would have been different. Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 694, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984). The question is whether there is a reasonable probability that, absent the errors, the jury would have had a reasonable doubt respecting guilt. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 695, 104 S.Ct. 2052. ś 33. There is no reasonable probability that the result of this trial would have been different if the jury had never known that Williamson had represented Hathorn in the past. It is further pure speculation to assume that the jury, because Williamson was embarrassed by Hathorn's testimony, decided to hold it against Manning. Further, Williamson did not cut short his cross-examination of Hathorn as his representation of her did not come before the jury until redirect by the State. He explored her prior convictions as well as whether she had been offered any leniency for her testimony. Manning has failed to show any prejudice resulting from Williamson's prior representation of Hathorn, and there is no reversible error here. B. The other defense counsel, Richard Burdine, failed to provide effective assistance of counsel to Willie Manning at the penalty phase. ś 34. Manning also asserts that his other defense counsel failed to provide him with effective assistance. Manning complains that Burdine's performance was deficient because he made no opening statement in the penalty phase, only called two character witnesses (Manning's mother and aunt), and gave an incoherent closing argument. ś 35. Under Strickland, Manning must show that Burdine's performance was deficient and that the deficiency resulted in prejudice to the defense. Id. at 687, 104 S.Ct. 2052. This Court must indulge a strong presumption that counsel's conduct falls within the wide range of reasonable professional assistance. Id. at 689, 104 S.Ct. 2052. A convicted defendant making a claim of ineffective assistance must identify the acts or omissions of counsel that are alleged not to have been the result of reasonable professional judgment. The court must then determine whether, in light of all the circumstances, the identified acts or omissions were outside the wide range of professionally competent assistance. Id. at 690, 104 S.Ct. 2052. [T]he defendant must overcome the presumption that, under the circumstances, the challenged action' might be considered sound trial strategy'. Id. at 689, 104 S.Ct. 2052. When a defendant challenges a death sentence ... the question is whether there is a reasonable probability that, absent the errors, the sentencer ... would have concluded that the balance of aggravating and mitigating circumstances did not warrant death. Id. at 695, 104 S.Ct. 2052. ś 36. Manning asserts that he received ineffective assistance of counsel when Burdine failed to make any opening statement. In Gilliard v. State, 462 So.2d 710, 716 (Miss.1985), this Court held that the decision to make an opening statement is a strategic one. That holding was reiterated in Cabello v. State, 524 So.2d 313, 318 (Miss. 1988). Manning offers no caselaw to the contrary and no proof of any prejudice this omission may have caused his defense. This claim is meritless. ś 37. Manning further asserts that Burdine provided ineffective counsel in failing to investigate thoroughly and to seek out more character witnesses. Burdine put on Manning's aunt and mother. The record reflects that Williamson wrote Burdine several letters informing him of potential penalty phase witnesses. Manning argues that Burdine never investigated or interviewed these witnesses. He further argues that the reason Williamson sent these letters to Burdine (and copies to the court file), was because Williamson was worried that Burdine was not preparing for the penalty phase. ś 38. Just as courts presume that counsel's decisions are strategic, so courts are reluctant to infer from silence a lack of strategy. Cabello v. State, 524 So.2d 313, 319(Miss.1988); Leatherwood v. State, 473 So.2d 964, 969 (Miss.1985). There is no absolute duty to present mitigating evidence. Wiley v. State, 517 So.2d 1373, 1379 (Miss. 1987). Counsel has a duty to make reasonable investigations or to make a reasonable decision that makes particular investigations unnecessary. Wiley, 517 So.2d at 1379. See also Strickland, 466 U.S. at 699, 104 S.Ct. 2052 (decision not to seek more character and psychological evidence was reasonable.) ś 39. It should be noted that Manning does not tell us in his brief what other witnesses should have been called or what mitigation they might have been able to offer. Further, there is nothing in the record to suggest that Burdine failed to contact these other witnesses about whom Williamson wrote to him. The reason for not calling these witnesses simply can not be gleaned from the record. Absent a record, Manning has not shown deficient performance by Burdine. He cannot overcome the presumption that counsel's conduct was within the wide range of reasonable professional assistance. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 689, 104 S.Ct. 2052. ś 40. Further, Manning cannot show prejudice. Without knowing what witnesses he thinks should have been called, and what they might have said, we cannot presume that had they been called, the jury would have voted for life instead of death. The totality of the evidence before the judge or jury should be considered in assessing whether there was prejudice. Leatherwood v. State, 473 So.2d 964, 969 (Miss.1985). The totality of the evidence in this case proved that Manning murdered Jon and Tiffany. The murders were brutal, and the victims were college students in the prime of their lives. Additional character witnesses would not have, with any reasonable probability, tipped the balance between mitigators and aggravators. See Strickland, 466 U.S. at 695, 104 S.Ct. 2052. A reasonable probability is one sufficient to undermine confidence in the outcome. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 694, 104 S.Ct. 2052. This claim is meritless. ś 41. Finally, Manning argues that he was provided ineffective assistance of counsel because Burdine gave a closing argument that was at best generic, and at worst incoherent. He asserts that Burdine's performance was substandard. The State argues, and we agree, that as a whole it can not be characterized as incoherent. Certainly, it is not so substandard as to have prejudiced the defense of Manning. ś 42. Manning cites two cases to support his argument that Burdine was ineffective in his closing argument. First, he relies on Kubat v. Thieret, 867 F.2d 351 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, 493 U.S. 874, 110 S.Ct. 206, 107 L.Ed.2d 159 (1989). In that case the reviewing court found that counsel was ineffective when he gave grossly substandard, rambling, and incoherent argument at sentencing. Id. at 368. In Kubat, the defense attorney did not call any character witnesses and opted to argue for mercy. The court found that the argument did not even amount to that. In fact, it found that the defendant may have been hurt by the argument. Defense counsel admitted that he was not going to convince the jury. He even asked the jury to compare the defendant to the victim and said, [D]ecide the way you feel, Robert Kubat or Lydia Hyde. Id. The court found that counsel made no attempt to present the defendant as a human being. Second, Manning cites State v. Myles, 389 So.2d 12 (La.1979), in which the Supreme Court of Louisiana found that defense counsel provided ineffective assistance during closing argument of the sentencing phase. In that case, the Court found that counsel did little more than acknowledge the existence of an aggravating circumstance, state that the confession may be used as a mitigating circumstance, and submit the matter to the jury. Id. at 30. ś 43. In the case at hand, Burdine did a considerably better job than either of the defense attorneys in the cases cited. He based his argument on a plea for mercy. He pleaded with the jury to show love for Manning, appealing to their Christian values. He asked them to put aside hate and vengeance, and to punish Manning properly with life imprisonment. He also argued residual doubt to the jury, asking them to think of how they would feel if it was discovered eventually that Manning was not the murderer. He asked them to think about how they would live with that. Further, Burdine argued the facts of the case, and the credibility of witnesses. He argued that the heinous, atrocious, and cruel aggravator was not supported by the evidence, and asked the jury to consider Manning's age as a mitigator. ś 44. Burdine's strategy of pleading for mercy was not a poor strategic choice on the facts of this case, and the argument when read as a whole is not incoherent. It is the opinion of this Court that Burdine's performance was not deficient. Additionally, Manning has not shown any resulting prejudice sufficient to meet the stringent standard set out in Strickland. This claim is meritless. ś 45. Based on the record in this case, we cannot say that Burdine provided ineffective assistance of counsel. Manning has failed to satisfy the standard set out in Strickland, and as such, we find no reversible error.