Opinion ID: 1942807
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Failure to Investigate and Present Other Mitigating Evidence

Text: Harvey next argues that trial counsel was ineffective in failing to investigate and present the mitigating evidence of his personal background. We disagree because the record supports the trial court's findings and conclusion that counsel conducted a reasonable investigation and presented this evidence at the penalty phase proceeding. At the conclusion of the postconviction evidentiary hearing, the trial judge made the following findings in his order denying relief: Mr. Watson met with Mr. Harvey's mother and father and siblings and ate dinner in their home on two occasions. He felt they were good, decent people. He also obtained Mr. Harvey's school records. He did not uncover any evidence that Harvey used or abused cocaine or marijuana or Quaaludes, that he drove an automobile drunk, or that his parents abused him. He determined that Harvey was involved in a very serious automobile accident at age 16 where he lost consciousness and a female companion was killed. He determined that Harvey had never been institutionalized. . . . . During the penalty phase the defendant presented 16 witnesses including Dr. Petrilla who testified that he had been a state's witness in earlier cases and that this was the first time he had testified in a death penalty case for a defendant. The evidence including Dr. Petrilla's testimony showed that Harvey was depressed, had low self-esteem and a mental age of 18 and physical age of 23, did not have brain damage, and was impulsive. Evidence was also presented that he was hard-working, from a good, decent family who would be negatively effected [sic] if he would be executed, that he had been a loving brother to his disabled sister, that the crime was out of character, and that he was pressured by his wife to provide things he could not financially do. Evidence showed that he was involved in the fatal accident at age 16 and would be able to adapt to a life sentence in prison. Thus, it is evident that trial counsel presented much of the evidence that postconviction counsel has presented and that trial counsel presented the evidence that was uncovered during his investigation of this case. As the trial judge found, sixteen witnesses testified on Harvey's behalf at the penalty phase proceeding concerning his background and history. These witnesses included Harvey's parents and siblings, who testified concerning Harvey's history and background. Other witnesses who testified included family friends, family members, an employer, a coworker, and several teachers. In sum, the witnesses stated that Harvey had a normal childhood, was a loving son, brother, and friend, was generally a good person, and came from a loving and hard-working family. The jury viewed several childhood photographs of Harvey with his siblings, as well as home movies of various family outings. This evidence is consistent with the general theme that the murders were out of character for Harvey. At the evidentiary hearing, Harvey presented witnesses who painted a new and different picture of his background, including extreme poverty, physical abuse, substance abuse, and mental problems. The evidence Harvey now presents supports an entirely different theory for the penalty phase. However, speculation that another theory of defense would have been more successful is not sufficient to establish the deficiency prong of Strickland. In Strickland, the Supreme Court stated that strategic choices made after thorough investigation of law and facts relevant to plausible options are virtually unchallengeable. 466 U.S. at 690, 104 S.Ct. 2052. See also Wiggins v. Smith, 539 U.S. 510, 521, 123 S.Ct. 2527, 156 L.Ed.2d 471 (2003) (stating that the deference owed such strategic judgments under Strickland is defined in terms of the adequacy of the investigations supporting those judgments). The record clearly demonstrates that counsel conducted an adequate investigation into Harvey's background, and that counsel presented the evidence that was discovered during his investigation to argue for a sentence less than death. We therefore find that counsel's performance was not deficient.