Opinion ID: 1795741
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Use of Alcohol and Drugs

Text: Fifth, Henyard alleges that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to investigate or present evidence to the jury regarding his chronic use of alcohol. The trial court in its order noted that the only germane evidence at the evidentiary hearing came from the testimony of Henyard's expert witness, Dr. Bauers. Moreover, the trial court concluded that the first prong of Strickland had not been met because Henyard had not shown that the failure to present the alleged evidence of his history of chronic alcohol and marijuana use was based on trial counsel's deficient performance. We agree with the trial court's assessment of this claim. During the evidentiary hearing, Dr. Bauers testified that Henyard told him he started drinking beer and smoking marijuana between the ages of eight and ten, but he denied ever being seriously intoxicated or using hard drugs. He also told Dr. Bauers that his use of alcohol and marijuana decreased when he went to live with his father at the age of eleven. There was no other evidence presented during the evidentiary hearing regarding Henyard's chronic use of alcohol. Therefore, based on the fact that this issue was not addressed in any detail at the evidentiary hearing, Henyard has not demonstrated error in the trial court's conclusion that he has not shown his counsel's performance was deficient.