Opinion ID: 6108254
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Computer Use Evidence

Text: Collings's sixth point on appeal argues the motion court erred in denying his claim that trial counsel were ineffective in failing to investigate and present evidence showing internet history on Spears's computer during the guilt phase of trial. An internet history report showed intermittent use of a computer belonging to Spears and located at Spears's house from 1:54 a.m. to 3:36 a.m. on November 3, the morning after Ford's murder. 12 According to Spears's mother's testimony during the penalty phase of trial, she drove to Spears's house after he called her around midnight. She testified Spears left in his pickup truck after she arrived and returned a short time later. He drove her Suburban while she stayed at his house until he returned by 7 a.m. At the evidentiary hearing, Collings's trial counsel testified they received the internet history report and remembered Spears's mother indicating during her deposition that she only knew how to turn the computer on and off and play games. Collings contends this evidence would have cast doubt on the truth of his confessions to law enforcement because it suggests someone was in Spears's home on the night of Ford's murder. He claims there is a reasonable probability the jury would not have convicted him of first-degree murder. Trial counsel is not ineffective for not offering evidence that would not have unqualifiedly supported the defense theory. See Tisius , 519 S.W.3d at 427 . According to Spears's own confession, he was not at his home during the period in which the internet history report suggests someone was there. Collings told law enforcement that Mahurin and Spears left his home around 11:30 p.m., and he left for Spears's house shortly thereafter to get there before the other men. Consequently, the internet history report from 1:54 a.m. to 3:36 a.m. would not have supported the defense theory of events. Further, the internet history report could not have been used to impeach Spears's confession because, as explained above, Collings's trial counsel made a reasonable strategic decision to not focus on Spears's separate confession as they believed it suggested more deliberation on Collings's part. The motion court did not clearly err in denying postconviction relief on this claim.