Opinion ID: 6110716
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: analysis

Text: The effectiveness of counsel is measured according to the standard set forth in Strickland v. Washington , 466 U.S. 668 , 104 S.Ct. 2052 , 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984). In Strickland , the Court held that the Sixth Amendment right to counsel is the right to effective assistance of counsel. The Strickland court articulated a two-part test to determine whether counsel's assistance was effective: first, the defendant must prove that the counsel's performance was deficient, and second, the defendant must prove that the deficient performance was prejudicial to the extent that the defendant was deprived of the right to a fair trial. There is a strong presumption that counsel's conduct falls within the wide range of reasonable professional assistance. E.g. Mancia v. State , 2015 Ark. 115 , 459 S.W.3d 259 . Additionally, Rule 37.3 of the Arkansas Rules of Criminal Procedure provides that an evidentiary hearing should be held in a postconviction proceeding unless the files and record of the case conclusively show that the prisoner is entitled to no relief. Wooten v. State , 338 Ark. 691 , 1 S.W.3d 8 (1999) (citing Bohanan v. State , 327 Ark. 507 , 939 S.W.2d 832 (1997) (per curiam) ). If the files and the record show that the petitioner is not entitled to relief, the circuit court is required to make written findings to that effect. Ark. R. Crim. P. 37.3(a).
Woods first argues that his trial counsel was ineffective because he referred to the Simpson case. Counsel first  mentioned Simpson's case in general voir dire. Although the circuit court erroneously stated that a juror first mentioned the case, the circuit court concluded that counsel's references to the Simpson case fell within the range of reasonable professional assistance. 1 The trial record reveals that Woods's trial counsel asked the entire venire panel for a show of hands as to who thought Simpson was guilty. When he received little response, trial counsel explained the reason for the question: Here's the reason I asked the question. All of you have said that you believe that a defendant is innocent until they are proven guilty. But you say it - But you see, sometimes you don't believe it. Because what do we know about O.J. Simpson? Twelve men and women have found him not guilty. Okay. You may think that's a lawyer trick, but it's not. It illustrates my point. And so, I guess my point is, is that can all of you commit - I understand how you get to where you are. But can you commit to us that you will, indeed, follow that principle that, indeed, a defendant is innocent until the government proves him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt? Can I see the hands of all those who will commit to that? Matters of trial strategy and tactics, even if arguably improvident, are not grounds for a finding of ineffective assistance of counsel. Hayes v. State , 2014 Ark. 104 , 431 S.W.3d 882 . It is clear that trial counsel's references to the Simpson case were part of a strategy to identify potential jurors who might view his client unfavorably. The files and the record show that Woods is not entitled to relief, and the circuit court's findings sufficiently reflect that fact. The circuit court did not clearly err in determining that the references to the Simpson case fell within the range of reasonable professional assistance or in denying without a hearing Woods's petition as to this point.
Woods next argues that appellate counsel was ineffective because he did not challenge the sufficiency of the evidence on direct appeal. Woods notes that the only issue that appellate counsel raised was that the prosecution excused jurors in a racially discriminatory manner in violation of Batson v. Kentucky , 476 U.S. 79 , 106 S.Ct. 1712 , 90 L.Ed.2d 69 (1986). Alternatively, Woods argues that his case should be remanded for the circuit court to enter more specific findings on this point. A petitioner who claims that appellate counsel was ineffective bears the burden of making a clear showing that counsel failed to raise some meritorious issue on appeal. State v. Rainer , 2014 Ark. 306 , 440 S.W.3d 315 . Woods must demonstrate that the issue was raised at trial, that the circuit court erred in its ruling, and that an argument concerning the issue could have been raised on appeal to merit appellate relief. Id. On appeal, we treat a motion for directed verdict as a challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence. Starling v. State , 2016 Ark. 20 , 480 S.W.3d 158 . In reviewing a challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence, we determine whether the verdict is supported by substantial evidence, direct or circumstantial. Reynolds v. State , 2016 Ark. 214 , 492 S.W.3d 491 .  Substantial evidence is evidence that is of sufficient force and character that it will, with reasonable certainty, compel a conclusion one way or the other, without resorting to speculation or conjecture. Id. In reviewing a sufficiency challenge, we view the evidence in the light most favorable to the State, considering only evidence that supports the verdict. Mercouri v. State , 2016 Ark. 37 , 480 S.W.3d 864 . At trial, Woods's attorney moved for a directed verdict on the kidnapping charge. Trial counsel argued that the evidence was insufficient to demonstrate that Poole was restrained against her will because she could have driven away when she was in the vehicle by herself while Woods was walking around to the passenger door. Woods's trial counsel also argued that there was no evidence that he had any intention of inflicting injury upon Poole or terrorizing her when he forced her into the vehicle. Trial counsel argued that because the evidence was insufficient to support the kidnapping charge, by definition there could be no capital murder. The underlying felony is an essential element of a capital-felony murder charge. Flowers v. State , 342 Ark. 45 , 25 S.W.3d 422 (2000). To prove capital-felony murder, the State must first prove the felony. Id. In response to Woods's motion, the State argued that evidence from events inside the store demonstrated that a kidnapping had already occurred. The State also pointed to testimony that Poole was screaming that Woods would kill her, and that Woods had forced her into the vehicle at gunpoint. The State contended that a jury could have reasonably believed that the facts demonstrated that Woods was either in the act of kidnapping Poole, or in flight therefrom. The circuit court agreed and denied the motion. In his petition below, Woods argued that his appellate counsel failed to comb the record and present the insufficiency of the evidence claim to the Appellate Court. Woods cited no facts to support his contention that a meritorious argument was not raised on appeal. With respect to his appellate counsel's alleged deficiencies, Woods wrote: Denial of the effective assistance of Counsel upon direct appeal because appellate counsel failed to raise the properly Preserved issue of the insufficiency of the evidence relied upon by the Jury to convict the Petitioner. And but for appellate counsel's failures to raise this meritorious issue of the insufficiency of the evidence as to the Kidnapping charge, his failures Precluded Appellate review of the matter, and amounts to Denial of Counsel as a right upon direct appeal. Penson v. Ohio , Martinez vs. Ryan , 566 U.S. 1 , 132 S.Ct. 1309 , 182 L.Ed.2d 272 (2012) ; and Dansby v. Norris , (8th Cir. 2012) For the Proposition that Petitioner was entitled to the effective assistance of counsel as of right to raise his insufficiency of the evidence claim upon the Kidnapping charge. Woods's petition did not identify any specific facts in the record that could have been used to buttress his insufficiency argument. Allegations that are unsupported by facts do not provide a basis for either an evidentiary hearing or postconviction relief. Greene v. State , 356 Ark. 59 , 146 S.W.3d 871 (2004). It is Woods's obligation to show in his petition that counsel failed to raise some meritorious issue on appeal. Walton v. State , 2013 Ark. 254 (per curiam). Counsel's failure to raise a specific issue had to amount to error of such magnitude that it rendered appellate counsel's performance deficient under the Strickland criteria. Id. Woods's petition failed to identify any such issue, and the circuit court did not clearly err by denying relief on this point. Additionally, viewing  the evidence in the light most favorable to the State, and considering only evidence that supports the verdict, we conclude that substantial evidence supports the verdict. Woods therefore cannot make a clear showing that his appellate counsel failed to raise a meritorious issue on appeal. Finally, because Woods identified no facts to support his appellate insufficiency argument below, his alternative argument that remand is required for more specific findings is also not persuasive. Affirmed. Hart, J., concurs.