Opinion ID: 1785882
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Concrete Expert

Text: The trial court did not err in holding that Larzelere failed to prove that Wilkins was ineffective for not consulting or hiring a concrete expert to testify regarding whether the concrete encasing the alleged murder weapon matched the concrete found in a cooking pot in Larzelere's basement. During the evidentiary hearing, Larzelere called John M. Whelan II, a chemistry graduate student at the University of South Florida, to testify regarding the FBI's report about the concrete samples. The trial court ruled that Whelan was not qualified to give an expert opinion on concrete but allowed Larzelere to proffer Whelan's testimony. Larzelere did not challenge on appeal the trial court's decision to not admit Whelan's testimony, and therefore Whelan's testimony is not before this Court. Larzelere has not shown counsel to be ineffective for not calling a concrete expert because she had not demonstrated what an individual qualified as a concrete expert would have testified to in this case or how such testimony would cast doubt on her guilt. Larzelere's claim that Wilkins should have called the FBI agent who analyzed the concrete samples and introduced into evidence the FBI's report that found that the samples could not be conclusively matched is more fully developed in the record. While Larzelere did not call the FBI agent, she did introduce the report into evidence. The report summarizes the comparison of sample Q1, which was a sample of the cement found in Larzelere's home, and sample K1, which was a sample of the cement encasing the alleged murder weapon recovered from a creek. The report states: The Q1 and K1 cements differ in color, and exhibit some difference in particle size distribution and mortar composition. However, the K1 cement was exposed to potentially extreme weathering conditions which can affect the comparative properties of the cement. Although it is unlikely that weathering is responsible for the differences observed between the Q1 and K1 cements in this case, it [cannot] be totally eliminated as a possibility. Neither party introduced this report into evidence during trial, although during his closing argument, Wilkins argued that the State failed to prove that the cement found in Larzelere's home matched the cement encasing the alleged murder weapon. Larzelere claims that effective counsel would have supported this argument by calling the FBI agent and introducing the report. Again, we agree that Larzelere has not demonstrated prejudice. As William Lasley explained, evidence separating Larzelere from the alleged murder weapon would have theoretically aided her defense. However, the trial court correctly found that defense counsel's extensive cross-examination of the State's informant witnesses, Heidle and Palmieri, and his closing argument did challenge the State's theory that the guns were encased in concrete and dumped in a creek at Larzelere's direction. Given the totality of the evidence, not introducing the indefinite report does not undermine this Court's confidence in the verdict.