Opinion ID: 775280
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Defense Counsel's Performance at the Penalty Phase

Text: 54 We must indulge a strong presumption that counsel's conduct falls within the wide range of reasonable professional assistance. Id. at 689. In particular, we must avoid the distorting effects of hindsight. Id. The presumption of competence is warranted in this case. 55 First, counsel did engage in preparation. Although memories understandably faded between the time of trial in 1979 and the time of depositions 12 years or more later, it is clear that counsel made some efforts to investigate. 1 Counsel remembered talking with Petitioner's mother and with at least one other potential witness, in addition to the four witnesses whom he did call. He reviewed school records. Petitioner recalled that counsel discussed with him his background and social history. 56 Second, defense counsel affirmatively presented significant mitigating evidence. 57 (1) Petitioner's teen-aged niece testified that she had spent weekends, and whole weeks, visiting Petitioner in San Francisco. They went to the mountains and fished. They painted and drew, and Petitioner helped her develop these skills. Petitioner treated animals kindly. His niece felt entirely safe with him. 58 (2) Petitioner's sister testified that Petitioner was married and had an infant son. She never saw him hurt anyone. She told of his intelligence and explained that he had finished high school and taken college classes. Petitioner's sister also recounted their father's suicide when Petitioner was a very young man. 59 (3) A former girlfriend testified that, in the eight years they had known each other, she never saw him exhibit violence. Indeed, she recalled a particular incident demonstrating Petitioner's kindness. After a little girl had been hit by a car, Petitioner comforted the child and sent for the fire department and the child's mother, staying with the child until fire fighters arrived. The former girlfriend felt safe with Petitioner. In fact, they had lived together for a year, during which he was employed full-time and had discussed marriage. 60 (4) A former landlady testified. She and her husband had met Petitioner several months before. They knew Petitioner as a tenant, as a reliable worker, and as a friend. Petitioner worked part-time for the land-lady, doing maintenance and carpentry. In addition, the two couples socialized. This witness never saw Petitioner with a gun and never observed any violent behavior. She, too, felt safe with him. 61 The foregoing evidence was favorable and humanizing. Even the untoward question posed to the former girlfriend was not wholly problematic, for two reasons. First, the jury already knew that Petitioner was an armed robber, so this testimony would not have been surprising in context. Second, it showed that this woman who knew Petitioner very well maintained a favorable opinion of his character despite the occasional presence of guns in his life. That made her testimony more, not less, credible. 62 Third, in addition to presenting favorable mitigating evidence, defense counsel gave a closing argument. He asked the jury to spare his client's life, pointing out that Petitioner would never be free (and thus would not be a danger to others) if they rejected the death penalty.The majority has demonstrated that a different lawyer might have presented more, different, or better mitigating evidence, but that is not the test. Although defense counsel did not give an ideal presentation, the record does not establish that his performance was constitutionally inadequate.