Opinion ID: 2584547
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 14

Heading: Evidence Regarding Liberato Gutierrez at the Penalty Phase

Text: Petitioner further contends that Robusto was ineffective in failing to ask the court to reconsider its ruling at the penalty phase and permit Detective Guenther's testimony to show that Liberato Gutierrez might have killed or robbed the victim in order to establish lingering doubt in the minds of the jurors. Robusto testified at the reference hearing that he did not remember whether he considered asking the court at the penalty phase to admit further evidence relevant to lingering doubt. The referee found that had Robusto considered whether to ask the court to reconsider its ruling, the same considerations that led Robusto to reasonably conclude not to attempt to prove at the guilt phase that Liberato Gutierrez killed or robbed the victim would have applied equally at the penalty phase. We agree that Robusto was not ineffective in failing to ask the court to reconsider its ruling at the penalty phase. The same tactical considerations Robusto relied upon at the guilt phase would have made it equally fruitless and risky to contend at the penalty phase that Liberato Gutierrez might have killed or robbed the victim.