Opinion ID: 1882598
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Failure to Move for Mistrial During Medical Examiner's Testimony

Text: Suggs claims that his trial counsel was ineffective for failing to insist on a mistrial during the medical examiner's testimony after two jurors became ill. The postconviction court denied this claim because it found that defense counsel adopted a reasonable tactic to confront and accept the brutal nature of the crime, while arguing that someone else was responsible for such brutality. Defense attorney Kimmel testified at the evidentiary hearing that he believed allowing a jury to react sensitively to the brutality of the crime was in furtherance of this tactic and that such a jury might show the defendant mercy. Suggs argues that this kind of tactic is patently unreasonable. This Court, however, has approved similar tactics. See, e.g., Engle v. Dugger, 576 So.2d 696, 700 (Fla.1991) (rejecting claim that counsel was ineffective for adopting tactic of not questioning the medical examiner's conclusions so as not to inflame the jury, given the gruesome nature of the testimony). We find no error in the postconviction court's finding that this was a reasonable strategy.