Opinion ID: 1768472
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Employer and Family

Text: Defendant's attorneys did not contact four former employers, and two family membersan aunt and an uncle. They would have testified that defendant always had limited intellect, even before his heavy drug use. In addition, the former employers would have testified that defendant was a good worker. His aunt and uncle would add that his mother inhaled gas fumes as a child, his father was incarcerated for stealing, and his mother and her boyfriend took him to bars as a child. Defendant contends that, by a reasonable investigation, his attorneys would have discovered these witnesses, whose testimony would persuade the jury not to impose a death sentence. By not contacting them and presenting their testimony, he concludes his attorneys were ineffective. Counsel is not ineffective as long as the investigation is reasonable. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 691, 104 S.Ct. 2052. Defendant's cases are distinguishable. In both cases, counsel delayed preparing for penalty phase. Williams v. Taylor, 529 U.S. 362, 395, 120 S.Ct. 1495, 146 L.Ed.2d 389 (2000) (one week before trial); Jermyn v. Horn, 266 F.3d 257, 308 (3rd Cir.2001) (the night before penalty phase). In Williams, the attorneys did not investigate records of a nightmarish childhood, incorrectly assuming state law barred access. 529 U.S. at 395, 120 S.Ct. 1495. They did not return the phone call of a volunteer witness. Id. at 396, 120 S.Ct. 1495. In Jermyn, counsel knew that defendant had been severely abused, but did not search for witnesses. 266 F.3d at 306-07. The investigation was so bad that counsel did not propound any particular mitigating theory. Id. at 308 (counsel presented two witnesses during the penalty phase who offered the jury with little reason to spare Jermyn's life). Here, the investigation was reasonable. Defendant's attorneys reviewed 12 boxes of materials his former attorneys gathered. These materials included deposition transcripts, some hearing transcripts, notes from witnesses, photographs, police reports, coroner reports, and forensic reports. The attorneys also reviewed his work history, engaged two mental health experts, and talked to Department of Corrections employees. Further, at the post-conviction hearing, defendant did not ask lead counselresponsible for family matterswhich relatives she did contact, or how she determined whom to contact. Finally, this investigation culminated in a reasonable penalty phase defense. Defendant did not prove ineffectiveness.