Opinion ID: 2504293
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Actual Preparation and Performance

Text: We begin our analysis of the assistance trial counsel rendered by summarizing their pre-trial preparations. Counsel focused much of their efforts on supporting a possible defense theory that was based on the allegedly-spontaneous nature of the murders, and they attempted to prepare evidence of Morrow's background and mental state that would support their theory that he had acted impulsively and out of character. Counsel testified that they believed that the domestic circumstances of the case could possibly support a verdict of voluntary manslaughter, and they pressed the State to consider a plea bargain to life without parole based on this characterization of the murders. Trial counsel met repeatedly with Morrow, his mother, and his sister, and the record makes clear that counsel discussed Morrow's childhood background with them extensively, despite the fact that counsel believed that a sound strategy would be to focus on Morrow's character as an adult. Counsel found Morrow's sister to be a more-reliable source of information than his mother. Contrary to Morrow's argument, it is simply not correct that trial counsel ignored information from the years during Morrow's childhood when he lived in New York and New Jersey, although we acknowledge that they relied heavily on Morrow, his mother, and his sister to provide information about that portion of Morrow's life. Counsel testified that they also contacted jail staff, Morrow's former co-workers, and numerous other potential witnesses. Counsel obtained funds for a private investigator, and counsel testified that they closely monitored the investigator's progress and that the investigator concentrated about 65 percent of his efforts on mitigation witnesses. The investigator testified that he was relatively inexperienced in mitigation investigations; however, we note that trial counsel retained ultimate responsibility for the defense strategy. Counsel had Morrow examined by a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist's report stated that Morrow's mother had been battered by Morrow's father and that Morrow had been abandoned by his father, had been picked on as a child because he was on welfare, and was currently depressed and remorseful. However, the psychiatrist's report also unflatteringly indicated that Morrow had been suspended from school numerous times for fighting, that Morrow had battered his ex-wife and his girlfriend, and that Morrow had a diagnosis of alcoholism, polysubstance abuse, and a personality disorder that included antisocial features. The psychiatrist's report indicated a sexual history that was unremarkable, except perhaps for the fact of Morrow's promiscuity with women. After concluding that the psychiatrist's report was potentially harmful to the defense on the whole, counsel eventually arranged for Morrow to be examined repeatedly by a psychologist in an effort to get Morrow to open up more about his background, to prepare Morrow emotionally to testify well, and to prepare the psychologist's possible trial testimony, which is outlined below. Before having Morrow examined, counsel briefed the psychologist on what their investigation had revealed about Morrow, and the psychologist never expressed to counsel any concern that additional information was necessary to his conclusions. Counsel and their investigator made reasonable attempts to contact a person who reportedly had served as a personal mentor to Morrow when he lived in the Northeast, to contact members of Morrow's extended family through Morrow's mother, and to obtain Morrow's school records and childhood psychological records. Counsel considered hiring a social worker but concluded that there was no need for one in the light of the preparation that they, their investigator, and their psychologist were doing.
At trial, counsel presented the following evidence: In the guilt/innocence phase, counsel presented testimony from an investigator to explain that Ms. Young had not referred to the incident where Morrow kidnapped her and had sex with her as a rape and that Morrow had beaten her with his fist rather than with a gun during that incident. Morrow's sister testified about Morrow's background in an effort to show Morrow's good character, his past good treatment of Ms. Young, and his distress at the time of the murders. Trial counsel then concluded the guilt/innocence phase with testimony from Morrow himself, in which he described his history with Ms. Young, gave explanations about his alleged past abuse of her that were more favorable to himself than the State's evidence about those incidents, and explained how he had reacted impulsively to Ms. Woods' insulting comment to him about Ms. Young's no longer wanting to be in a relationship with him. At the conclusion of the guilt/innocence phase, counsel argued to the jury that Morrow had snapped. In the sentencing phase, trial counsel attempted to carry forward their theme about Morrow's good character through the following witnesses: several of Morrow's former co-workers; a detention officer who had formed a favorable opinion of Morrow; a volunteer minister who explained Morrow's good behavior in the jail and his potential to minister to other inmates; a pastor who described Morrow as dependable and sincere and as being remorseful for his crimes; a friend who had known Morrow for ten years who spoke favorably of Morrow's lack of a bad temper, his involvement with his children, and his respect for his mother; Morrow's ex-wife who described Morrow as being quiet, rarely abusive, and involved with his children; Morrow's ex-wife's new husband who described Morrow as being the perfect father; Morrow's half-sister who described him as being a kind, loving person who did not lose his temper; and a former girlfriend who described Morrow as not being abusive and as being fearful of getting hurt emotionally. Morrow's sister testified about her father's abuse of Morrow's mother, including stomping on her and causing her to miscarry, and about how Morrow had attempted to protect her. Contrary to Morrow's current description of the portion of his life he spent in the Northeast after Morrow's mother's divorce, Morrow's sister described her memories of that time period as pretty good. However, she explained that Morrow was bullied in school and that his mother tried to make him be a man. She also outlined Morrow's life in general terms, including things such as how he had helped his mother with her nursing care business, was close to his mother, and was involved in church as a child. She explained that Morrow had been under stress because he feared that he was losing his children and because his aunt had recently died. Counsel presented the testimony of a psychologist who had evaluated Morrow repeatedly. The psychologist testified that Morrow showed elevated scores for paranoia, hysteria, poor impulse control, exaggerated masculinity, depression, and anxiety. He stated that Morrow had been in special education classes since the fourth grade for reasons other than his behavior. He explained that Morrow had suffered from a sense of helplessness because he had been unable to protect his mother from abuse first by his father and later by his mother's boyfriend. He described how Morrow had reacted to being belittled by Ms. Woods on the day of the murders and had gone into a dissociative state as a result of the incident. Finally, trial counsel presented testimony from Morrow's mother. She explained that her ex-husband had abused her severely, even stomping on her and causing her to miscarry, and that Morrow had tried to protect her. She outlined her and Morrow's life histories, and she included some discussion of the period during which Morrow lived in the Northeast. She explained how she had once spanked Morrow in front of his friends at school, and she discussed Morrow's academic problems. Her testimony concluded with a plea as a mother for Morrow's life to be spared. In light of the summary of trial counsel's efforts outlined above and in light of our plenary review of the trial and habeas records, we conclude that it is simply not correct that trial counsel failed to investigate Morrow's background, including the period he spent in the Northeast. Counsel did such an investigation, but they reasonably relied on Morrow and his immediate family members to reveal that information.