Opinion ID: 1709393
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Failure to Discover and Present Additional Mitigators Relating to Alleged Neurological Disorders

Text: Gore argues that his counsel was ineffective due to the failure to investigate his past involvement with toxic citrus groves that allegedly caused neurological disorders, which could have then been offered as mitigating evidence. Gore has not established that the performance of his counsel was deficient. The general rule is [a]n attorney has a duty to conduct a reasonable investigation, including an investigation of the defendant's background, for possible mitigating evidence. Ventura v. State, 794 So.2d 553, 570 (Fla.2001) (quoting Rose v. State, 675 So.2d 567, 571 (Fla.1996)). Although Nickerson apparently did not ask Gore's mother any specific questions about agricultural chemicals or the citrus groves, Nickerson did ask her about Gore's health as is demonstrated by her resentencing testimony that ant bites had given Gore convulsions when he was seventeen months old. Additionally, Gore's counsel asked her whether Gore was an alcoholic. Udell's testimony that Nickerson got very close to David and David's mom and dad indicates that there was a good and open relationship with essential persons to assist with the investigation as Nickerson was analyzing Gore's past. Finally, Udell testified that he was present during conversations that Nickerson had with Gore's family with regard to Gore's life and a search and investigation into Gore's past did occur. Cf. Ragsdale v. State, 798 So.2d 713, 719 (Fla.2001) (holding that counsel was ineffective due to an inadequate investigation and failure to present particular mitigators when counsel's entire investigation consisted of a few calls made by his wife to Ragsdale's family members); Heiney v. State, 620 So.2d 171, 172 (Fla.1993) (holding that there was ineffective assistance when counsel totally fail[ed] to investigate potential mitigating factors). The decision by Gore's counsel not to pursue a theory that pesticide exposure from the citrus groves may have led to neurological disorders without proper supporting evidence, and then present this as a mitigator, was within the range of sound trial strategy at the time this decision was made. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 690, 104 S.Ct. 2052. At the evidentiary hearing, Udell stated that it is dangerous to make tenuous arguments that sound only like lawyer talk, because the jury might punish that party for making a seemingly senseless argument. Nickerson could have engaged in that thought process when he determined that he would not pursue this argument, but again, this was not confirmed because Nickerson did not testify at the evidentiary hearing. Additionally, those directly and personally involved with Gore's life were also apparently of the same view that this was a weak theory as Udell testified that he did not believe the issue of pesticides from the citrus groves was ever raised by Gore or his family. Gore's failure to inform counsel about the alleged exposure to the pesticides precludes Gore from arguing that counsel was ineffective for failing to offer this potential mitigating evidence. See Stewart v. State, 801 So.2d 59, 67 (Fla. 2001) (holding that the failure to communicate instances of childhood abuse to defense counsel or the defense psychiatrist precludes an ineffective assistance claim for failing to pursue such mitigation). Also, the testimony of two entomologists at the evidentiary hearing demonstrated that the theory that Gore suffered neurological disorders from pesticide exposure was extremely tenuous, at best. Dr. Nigg testified that it is uncertain how the agricultural chemicals, to which Gore was supposedly exposed by working and living near the citrus groves, affect humans on a long-term basis. In analyzing a test done on Gore's blood, he said some of his chemical composition levels, such as with mercury and cadmium, were troublesome because they were too low. Also, Gore's lead level of 20 ug/dL was considered a  normal lead blood level. This testimony contradicts Gore's assertion that he was overexposed to high levels of agricultural chemicals. Similarly, Dr. Napp testified that he had no knowledge of anyone developing health problems from lead arsenic, and he opined that there are no long-term effects associated with exposure to organo-phosphates and there has never been a case of overexposure to Calthane or Ethion in Florida. These are all agricultural chemicals to which Gore was allegedly exposed. Finally, there was no direct evidence, such as a medical diagnosis, that Gore actually suffered from any neurological disorders, which he now argues resulted from exposure to agricultural chemicals. Instead, only evidence that Gore suffered from totally different health problems, such as high fevers and convulsions, was presented. Instead, Gore's counsel focused on other theories and presented extensive mitigating evidence related to those theories at the resentencing. Gore's counsel called approximately ten witnesses, including Michael Maher and Peter Maculuso, who were both mental health experts. In preparing for his testimony, Dr. Maher reviewed a medical history of Gore, which was provided by Gore's counsel, and questioned Gore about his background. The mitigation that was presented included the following: (1) Gore was the son of hard-working parents; (2) Gore was shy and introverted in comparison to Waterfield; (3) Gore's divorce and separation from his children had negatively affected him; (4) Gore used alcohol around the time of the murder; and (5) Gore was an alcoholic. Moreover, Udell testified that all mitigation that seemed consistent with [Gore's] best interests was presented at the resentencing. This evidence establishes that Gore's counsel was not deficient. Even if Gore's counsel was deficient, we conclude that there was no prejudice. As previously described, extensive mitigation was already presented at the resentencing. Even if the trial court at resentencing had found this one additional mitigating factor involving neurological disorders from citrus grove pesticide exposure, which is a tenuous theory at best, this would not have overcome the trial court's finding of six aggravating factors which, as previously described, are supported by strong evidence. Therefore, we conclude that counsel's failure to present the mitigating evidence with regard to the citrus grove pesticide exposure is not of such a nature that confidence in the outcome is undermined due to the failure to present this evidence. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 690, 104 S.Ct. 2052.