Opinion ID: 1654062
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: Counsel's defense of Davis in the sentencing phase was deficient as a matter of law-Counsel failed to investigate the existence of character witnesses and inadequately prepared and examined the ones present.

Text: ¶ 20. Davis next argues that Shaddock was ineffective in the sentencing phase for failure to investigate and locate additional character witnesses, and failure to better prepare the witnesses he did call. Shaddock's theory in this case appeared to be (1) attack the sufficiency of the evidence, particularly the State's failure to place into evidence what appeared to be drugs found at the victim's trailer, and suggest that a third person was involved; and (2) portray Davis as a non-violent person who was under the influence of drugs at the time in question. To this end Shaddock called one witness during the guilt phase of the trial, Christine Davis, Jeffrey's mother, who testified that she knew Linda Hillman; that Hillman and Davis were friends; and that Davis helped Hillman and her boyfriend, Kenny Dearman, care for Dearman's dogs. As to sentencing, Shaddock called Clayton Evans, who had known Davis when he was growing up as Davis and his family had lived in Evans's trailer park. Evans stated that when he knew Davis, he was real accommodating to everybody, real nice to everybody, and was non-violent. Evans stated that he had little contact with Davis since the family had moved, which had been at least five years. Shaddock called Cynthia Lambert, Davis's sister, who briefly provided some of their family background, and specifically Jeffrey's. According to Lambert, Davis had completed high school through the eleventh grade, had joined the U.S. Army, had married during that time, had fathered two daughters who were approximately ten or eleven years old, and had divorced. She said Davis now did construction work, and she had never known him to be a violent person. Kevin Fortenberry testified that Davis had no prior felony convictions. Christine Davis then took the stand again and testified briefly as to their family history, stating that Jeffrey was not a violent person. She closed her testimony by begging for mercy for Jeffrey. The entirety of testimony presented by Shaddock in sentencing takes up approximately fifteen pages of this record. ¶ 21. Davis cites his affidavit which states that Shaddock did not find available character witnesses and did not prepare the few he called. Christine Davis states that Shaddock only met with her once for an hour and did not properly prepare her for testimony. She states that she would have told the jury that Jeffrey became hooked on drugs at an early age and had along [sic] and continuous problem with addiction. Davis also attaches six affidavits from employers, neighbors and friends. All state that Davis is a talented person as far as mechanical repairs and a non-violent person. All state that Davis's attorney never contacted them but they would have testified if contacted, except for Maxine Graham's affidavit, which is not signed, and Russell Prentiss, who declined to say that he felt his affidavit would have made a difference. Maxine Graham is alleged to have died before she could sign. The most facially impressive affidavit is that of Eugene Howell, Sheriff of George County at the time of the trial. Davis was an inmate at Howell's jail during the trial, and Howell made Davis a trusty. Howell stated that he had known Davis and Davis's family most of his life, and he would have testified for Davis as a character witness if called. ¶ 22. Davis cites numerous cases from this Court, including Woodward v. State, 635 So.2d 805 (Miss.1993); State v. Tokman, 564 So.2d 1339 (Miss.1990); Yarbrough v. State, 529 So.2d 659 (Miss.1988); Leatherwood v. State, 473 So.2d 964 (Miss. 1985); and Neal v. State, 525 So.2d 1279 (Miss.1987). A common theme running throughout these cases is that while attorneys will be granted wide discretion as to trial strategy, choosing defenses and calling witnesses, a certain amount of investigation and preparation is required. Failure to call a witness may be excused based on the belief that the testimony will not be helpful; such a belief in turn must be based on a genuine effort to locate or evaluate the witness, and not on a mistaken legal notion or plain inaction. In Leatherwood, 473 So.2d at 970, Leatherwood provided this Court on post-conviction with affidavits from many apparently willing and accessible witnesses who could have testified. Leatherwood also alleged a failure by counsel to interview the four witnesses that did testify. This Court found: In view of the importance of mitigating evidence in the sentencing phase it is difficult to understand why favorable, willing witnesses who could be discovered by questioning the defendant would not be called. If it were within the financial ability of the defendant to arrange for the appearance of a representative group of them, this would have a strong bearing on whether trial counsel provided effective assistance. Of course, counsel's overall performance must be considered. Leatherwood, 473 So.2d at 970. Because of this and other alleged failures, Leatherwood was granted leave by this Court to proceed with his post-conviction motion in the trial court. ¶ 23. The State cites several federal cases for the proposition that counsel is not required to offer redundant witnesses and that Davis must show a reasonable probability that the omitted mitigating evidence would changed the jury's verdict. See, e.g., Celestine v. Blackburn, 750 F.2d 353, 356-57 (5th Cir.1984); see also Leatherwood, 473 So.2d at 969-70 (valid reasons for not calling character witnesses include testimony may be primarily harmful; testimony may be impeached; testimony may be cumulative; witness may be uncooperative; and witness may be unavailable because of distance or finances). ¶ 24. The State points out that character witnesses who appear beneficial in an affidavit may turn out to be less than helpful on the witness stand, as Clayton Evans's credibility was damaged when he stated on cross-examination that he had little or no contact with Davis for over five years. The State also points out that one affiant, Russell Prentiss, altered his affidavit, refusing to state that he believed that his testimony would have made a difference. Another affiant, Maxine Graham, failed to sign hers, apparently because she died before she could do so. A review of the record shows that while Christine Davis stated in her affidavit that she would have testified as to Davis's long-standing drug problem had she been properly prepared, at trial she denied any knowledge of him using drugs. While the fact that Sheriff Howell was apparently willing to testify for Jeffrey Davis is impressive, a juror hearing his testimony might not be so impressed. Jeffrey's mother and sister may have testified about his life history in a cursory and non-productive manner because of lack of preparation, or because more detail would have been harmful to Jeffrey. ¶ 25. This issue offers a close question, and little can be known about Shaddock's preparation time and efforts in this case because of its procedural posture. We find that Davis should be granted leave to proceed on this issue in the circuit court under the authority of Leatherwood.