Opinion ID: 1822567
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Preparation for Expert Testimony

Text: Kearse argues that defense counsel was ineffective for failing to depose and investigate Dr. Martell, the State's mental health expert, and was thus unprepared to cross-examine him. He also claims that counsel failed to present a number of mental health experts in mitigation. To address this claim, we first place it in context by summarizing the mitigation testimony presented at resentencing. Dr. Fred Petrilla, a neuropsychologist, evaluated Kearse in 1991 and again in 1996 for the resentencing. Petrilla testified for the defense that although Kearse had an IQ of 79 and was not mentally retarded, he had moderate brain dysfunction. Kearse had auditory, concentration, and behavioral problems, and severe learning problems. Kearse also tended to be hyperactive and react impulsively when confronted, and he was culturally deprived. The expert concluded Kearse was not malingering on testing and that two statutory mitigators were supported: extreme emotional disturbance and because of emotional disturbance, Kearse was incapable of conforming his conduct to the requirements of the law. Dr. Lipman testified that Kearse had neurodevelopmental problems from an early age due to his mother's alcohol abuse during pregnancy. This alcohol abuse caused Kearse to suffer from fetal alcohol effect (FAE), one of the effects of which is brain dysfunction. The expert testified that his finding of FAE is consistent with Kearse's hyperactivity, impulsivity, and slow physical and subnormal educational development and is consistent with the findings of other experts who tested Kearse, such as Dr. Petrilla. Further, Dr. Lipman testified that Kearse confabulated (i.e., rationalized what happened) in retelling the crime and thus was not lying about it. Dr. Lipman opined that at the time of the murder Kearse exploded without thought and did not kill the officer to avoid arrest. He also concluded that Kearse had a verbal memory disorder and was not malingering on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). Various teachers and school officials taught Kearse at a school for severely emotionally disturbed children, where Kearse was placed based on psychological evaluations. These education professionals testified that Kearse suffered from severe emotional dysfunction and functioned below grade level. Kearse had learning disabilities and was unable to master the skills of a normal student. He previously had failed in school, repeating the first and second grades twice and being socially promoted through several grades based solely on his age. At age fifteen, Kearse was in the seventh grade when he scored in the .8 percentile (i.e., the bottom one percent of all students) on the Wide Range Achievement Test. Functioning at a third-grade level, Kearse then dropped out at the end of that school year. The educators testified that Kearse had a genuine desire to learn, but was unsuccessful because of his limitations, and over time Kearse became increasingly disruptive in school. Further, his mother's neglect was apparent. Kearse came to school dirty, hungry, unkempt, and malnourished. His mother failed to respond to school requests for information or consultation. Kearse's relatives  two aunts, an uncle, and Kearse's mothertestified that Kearse's mother was fifteen when he was born, and that his mother drank excessively during and following the pregnancy. Kearse's father left when he was two, and his mother failed to show him affection and neglected him. She also physically abused him, and as he grew older, was unable to control him. Kearse was slow to develop both physically and emotionally. As a child, he had slurred speech and difficulty pronouncing words. He also was delayed in learning skills, such as tying his shoes. Kearse had difficulty understanding and following through on directions and had significant difficulties with school work. He frequently ran away for days at a time and lived on the street. Pamela Baker, a licensed mental health counselor and at one time Kearse's teacher, first encountered Kearse in 1981 when at age eight he was referred to the Suspect Child Abuse and Neglect program. She testified regarding his documented school and psychological history and Kearse's home life. According to Baker, Kearse's mother neglected and frequently whipped him. At one time Kearse was reluctant to leave the youth home in which he was placed because he was fed better there. She said that Kearse was classified as severely emotionally disturbed and was placed in special classes. At age twelve, his approximate IQ was 69. He failed grade levels and was usually promoted socially based on age. Neurological testing in 1981 revealed that Kearse had problems related to brain damage, including poor memory, motor skills, and planning skills, an inability to do abstract thinking, and poor comprehension. His mental age was lower than his chronological age. She noted that Kearse became involved in smoking and drinking at an early age and committed petty thefts and burglaries, but there was little aggressive behavior involved in these crimes. Baker visited Kearse in prison and found that he had learned how to read and write while there. She further stated that Kearse exhibited symptoms of panic attacks and conduct disorder. Finally, she testified that although Kearse was sometimes a bully at school, he was not violent, and she never thought he would kill anyone. The State presented Dr. Martell, who testified that neither statutory mental health mitigator applied, that FAE is not a mental disorder, and that Kearse had no brain damage. He opined that Kearse was depressed, which could account for Kearse's low verbal IQ, and that Kearse had a conduct disorder and chose not to apply himself in school. He opined that Kearse had an antisocial personality disorder and scored within the range for psychopathy. Further, Martell said that Kearse's MMPI results evidenced malingering. Martell concluded that Kearse is a pathological liar, who consciously shot the officer, took the gun with him because of the fingerprints, extinguished his headlights to escape, and then lied to evade responsibility. Having summarized the evidence at the resentencing, we now address Kearse's claim that defense counsel was deficient for failing to depose Dr. Martell, the State's mental health expert. The record shows that Dr. Martell examined Kearse on the Thursday before the resentencing proceedings began the following Monday, and that defense counsel's motion for a continuance was denied. Upon receipt of Dr. Martell's raw data and report, defense counsel forwarded these to his experts and consulted with them about the information. He also consulted the state attorney regarding Martell's upcoming testimony. At the postconviction hearing, defense counsel testified that despite not having deposed Martell, he knew what Dr. Martell's testimony would be regarding statutory mitigators, what his test results supposedly revealed, and where Martell's testimony would differ from his own experts' testimony. As evidenced from the foregoing summary, the evidence shows that Udell correctly anticipated Martell's testimony. Kearse thus has not demonstrated anything material that defense counsel did not anticipate or could have done differently had he deposed Dr. Martell. Kearse also claims that defense counsel should have presented more mitigation or chosen different experts. This claim simply ignores the extensive mental health mitigation outlined above that was presented at resentencing through a psychologist, a neuropharmacologist, a licensed mental health counselor, several educators, and family members. Further, as the trial court pointed out, and Kearse does not dispute, Kearse's experts at the postconviction hearing largely testified in conformity with the testimony defense counsel presented at the resentencing. We can think of no other caseand Kearse has not cited onein which defense counsel has presented so much expert testimony and other mitigation, but has been found ineffective for failure to present mitigation. [4] Accordingly, we hold that Kearse's claim fails to meet Strickland's requirements.