Opinion ID: 2973931
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Failure to Cross-Examine Hurt

Text: The district court held that Poindexter’s trial counsel were ineffective for failing to crossexamine prosecution witness John Hurt regarding inconsistencies between a statement he gave the police on the day of the crime and his testimony on direct examination at Poindexter’s trial. In his statement to the Cincinnati Police Homicide Squad shortly after the murder of Flanaghan, Hurt told Officer Thomas Cameron that Poindexter fired two shots at him and that he, Hurt, was standing at the time the shots were fired. Hurt further explained that Poindexter pointed the gun at him again, told him to get on his knees, and then went into the hallway, where it sounded to Hurt like Poindexter was reloading his gun. At trial, Hurt testified that Poindexter pointed a gun at him, told him to get on his knees, and then fired two shots at him. Hurt stated that Poindexter then left the room, and that when he returned, Poindexter pointed the gun at him again. Trial counsel did not cross-examine Hurt regarding this inconsistency. The Ohio Court of Appeals considered Poindexter’s ineffective assistance of counsel claims on his appeal from the denial of his petition for post-conviction relief and concluded that the claims were properly denied. See State v. Poindexter, No. C-890734, 1991 WL 30613, at -10 (Ohio Ct. App. Mar. 6, 1991). The state court of appeals was not presented with, and therefore did not consider, Poindexter’s ineffective assistance claim on this basis. However, in a successive postconviction petition, Poindexter alleged that the prosecutor improperly withheld Hurt’s statement to the police, in violation of Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963). See State v. Poindexter, No. C- 960780, 1997 WL 605086, at  (Ohio Ct. App. Aug. 29, 1997) (per curiam). The state court of appeals rejected the claim on the grounds that it had not been conclusively shown that the statement was not provided. The state court of appeals further concluded that the statement was not “out-come altering” exculpatory evidence under Brady anyway, because [t]he police statement did not contradict the essential fact, as brought out by both Hurt’s trial testimony and the trial testimony provided by Tracey Abernathy, that appellant fired shots at Hurt. The uncovering of conflicting accounts as to whether Hurt was standing or kneeling when the shots were fired was, essentially, immaterial to the attempted murder charge. Id. at . The district court denied Poindexter’s Brady claim, because trial counsel acknowledged seeing a transcript of Hurt’s prior recorded statement. Nonetheless, it found that the evidence supported Poindexter’s ineffective assistance of counsel claim, and ruled [t]he matter was of great relevance, inasmuch as one of the two death penalty specifications with which Petitioner was charged was based upon the allegation that he had attempted to murder John Hurt. The State relied upon the testimony of Mr. Hurt and Ms. Abernathy to prove that Petitioner had intended, and, thus, attempted, to kill John Hurt when he fired the shots of which Mr. Hurt and Ms. Abernathy testified. Counsel could not have made a strategic decision to ignore the discrepancies, therefore, on the ground that they did not relate to a relevant matter. . . . Had counsel raised the matter during cross-examination, they would have cast some doubt upon the accuracy of Mr. Hurt’s trial testimony. The district court further found that counsel’s failure to cross-examine constituted prejudice: [T]he State relied heavily upon Mr. Hurt’s testimony in its closing arguments with respect to the second death penalty specification. . . . Moreover, the jury asked that the testimony of Mr. Hurt and Ms. Abernathy concerning the distance of the gun Nos. 01-3250/3300 Poindexter v. Mitchell Page 6 from Mr. Hurt when Petitioner fired shots be read back to them. . . . Apparently, Mr. Hurt’s testimony was significant to the jury. Had the jury been made aware of the inconsistencies between Mr. Hurt’s recorded statement, made within hours of the events in question, and his trial testimony, the jury might have chosen to discredit both Mr. Hurt’s and Ms. Abernathy’s testimony concerning the shots fired by Petitioner after Mr. Hurt’s arrival. While Petitioner could, of course, have attempted to kill Mr. Hurt while he was standing just as easily as while he was kneeling, the fact of the inconsistency might well have cast sufficient doubt upon the versions of the events provided from the witness stand, that the jury would have been unable to conclude, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Petitioner intended, and thus, attempted, to murder Mr. Hurt. The result of a conclusion by the jury to convict Petitioner of only one death penalty specification is a matter for speculation. The district court concluded that there was a reasonable probability that, but for counsel’s unprofessional error, the result of the proceeding would have been different. It therefore granted Poindexter’s claim for relief on this basis. Even if we assume that counsel were deficient for failing to cross-examine Hurt regarding the inconsistencies in his testimony, Poindexter’s claim should not have been granted because there was no prejudice. See Strickland, 466 U.S. at 697 (stating that “[i]f it is easier to dispose of an ineffectiveness claim on the ground of lack of sufficient prejudice, . . . that course should be followed”); Baze v. Parker, 371 F.3d 310, 321 (6th Cir. 2004), cert. denied, 125 S. Ct. 1670 (2005) (same). Although the Ohio Court of Appeals addressed the issue of prejudice due to counsel’s failure to point out the inconsistencies in Hurt’s statements in the context of Poindexter’s Brady claim rather than his Strickland claim, the analysis for both issues is the same: there is no reasonable probability that the outcome of Poindexter’s proceedings would have been different. Both Hurt and Abernathy testified that Poindexter pointed the gun at Hurt’s head and fired two shots.3 Furthermore, one of the shots was close enough to leave powder burns on the side of Hurt’s face. Abernathy and Hurt also testified consistently that Poindexter attempted to fire a third shot at Hurt, but ran out of ammunition. Thus, in light of the evidence presented at trial, the Ohio Court of Appeals’ ruling that the inconsistent statements were immaterial to the result is entitled to deference. Poindexter’s suggestion that shooting while Hurt was standing could have been interpreted as warning shots is the type of speculation we rejected in Baze. See Baze, 371 F.3d at 322 (stating that where “one is left with pure speculation on whether the outcome of the trial . . . could have been any different,” there is an insufficient showing of prejudice). Rather, there is no reasonable probability that, whether Hurt was standing or kneeling, those shots fired at his head would not be interpreted as an attempt on his life. Further, Poindexter was also found guilty of an additional capital specification that the aggravated murder of Kevin Flanaghan was committed during the course of an aggravated burglary. Trial testimony clearly established that Poindexter committed the aggravated burglary. Abernathy testified that Poindexter broke into her apartment. Hurt testified that, after receiving an anonymous 3 Abernathy’s trial testimony is internally inconsistent. Abernathy initially testified that Poindexter fired the gun prior to telling Hurt to get on his knees, and that he fired it two times. In the next breath, also on direct examination, Abernathy testified that Poindexter did not fire the gun until Hurt was on his knees, and that he fired it twice. Despite Abernathy’s internal inconsistencies, what remains consistent with both Abernathy’s and Hurt’s testimony are the facts that Poindexter fired two shots at Hurt’s head. Nos. 01-3250/3300 Poindexter v. Mitchell Page 7 call, he observed a broken window at Abernathy’s apartment complex. Neighbor Jacqueline Woods testified that on the date of the murder, she saw someone trying to get into the apartment and called the security guard. Thus, even if Hurt’s testimony might have altered the jury’s finding, there is no reasonable probability that the jury would not have convicted Poindexter on the capital specification regarding the aggravated murder during commission of an aggravated burglary. In any event, Poindexter does not challenge this verdict. In short, Poindexter cannot meet the prejudice prong of the Strickland test. The district court therefore erred in granting the writ on this basis because Poindexter did not establish a Strickland violation. 2. Investigation, Preparation, and Presentation of Defense In his first post-conviction petition, Poindexter asserted that his counsel were deficient for failing to request a continuance to pursue his alibi defense, for telling the jury during opening statements that there would be an alibi and then failing to present one, and for failing to present a “crime of passion” defense. The state trial court denied Poindexter’s ineffective assistance claim, ruling that there was no cause or prejudice. The state trial court made several findings of fact in rejecting this claim. See Common Pleas Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Entry Denying the Petition to Vacate or Set Aside Sentence Without an Evidentiary Hearing. The state court found, inter alia, that (1) the alibi defense was filed at Poindexter’s insistence; (2) the “crime of passion” defense could not be presented because Poindexter never admitted committing the offense (Id.); (3) defense counsel interviewed all critical witnesses and attempted to find additional witnesses; (4) no continuance was requested because it was unnecessary (Id.); (5) trial counsel prepared the jury in voir dire and selected only jurors who assured counsel that they would not find against the defendant if he chose not to present an alibi (Id. at 1896); and (6) trial counsel prepared the jury for the probability that no alibi would be presented (Id. at 1908.) The Ohio Court of Appeals affirmed, ruling that under Strickland, “[t]he alleged deficiencies in the performance of Poindexter’s trial counsel appear upon close inspection to involve strategic choices made after less than complete investigation that were supported by reasonable professional judgment to limit that investigation.” Poindexter, 1991 WL 30613, at . The district court granted the writ on the basis that trial counsel rendered ineffective assistance by failing to present a cohesive defense. The court noted at the outset that the decision to file a notice of alibi was Poindexter’s decision, apparently made against trial counsel’s recommendation, but found that fact “essentially irrelevant . . . in the analysis of [Poindexter’s] claims.” (Id.) The district court held that trial counsel were not obligated to pursue the alibi defense and stated that “[c]ounsel could have abandoned the defense before opening statements, in consultation with [Poindexter], had they learned that the putative alibi witness would not testify in Petitioner’s favor.” The district court faulted trial counsel for failing to speak to the putative alibi witness prior to trial, and stated that trial counsel “inexplicably” failed to request a continuance to find and interview the witness. The district court found that counsel’s deficient performance prejudiced Poindexter’s defense because “they were unprepared to advise their client concerning the best approach to his case.” The district court held that counsel’s failure to prepare and ask for a continuance left them unable to dissuade Poindexter from pursuing his alibi defense, which in turn prevented counsel from pursuing a crime of passion theory of defense. The court concluded that Poindexter was therefore deprived “of the opportunity to pursue a cogent defense strategy, rendering the proceeding fundamentally unfair.” Upon review of the record, we conclude that the district court erred in granting the conditional writ as to this issue. The record reflects, and the state courts found as a matter of fact, that trial counsel were dealing with a difficult client, and that they made strategic decisions after reasonable investigation. On the first day of trial, lead counsel Dominic Perrino informed the court that, on behalf of their client, defense counsel filed an alibi defense, “with his insistence.” Perrino added that: “We have conferred with him for a lengthy period of time, for many days, in fact– in Nos. 01-3250/3300 Poindexter v. Mitchell Page 8 fact, approximately a couple weeks. With his insistence, we have filed an alibi in this case. Perrino stated in his deposition testimony during the federal habeas proceedings that “we had a lot of difficulty with Poindexter as to how to proceed.” Poindexter told counsel that he was on a bus at the time of the shootings and that the bus driver would remember him because of the dreadlocks. Perrino stated in the district court proceedings that he tried to substantiate Poindexter’s alibi prior to trial, and that he interviewed several witnesses, including Tracy Abernathy, John Hurt, and neighbors Andrew Leonard and Jacqueline Wood. Perrino explained that, prior to trial, he tried to locate the bus driver. He had difficulty obtaining cooperation from the bus company, and subpoenaed two bus drivers on Poindexter’s route the evening of the murder. Perrino stated that he was not able to speak with the bus driver until the middle of the trial, and that the driver stated that he would not be able to identify Poindexter. Perrino further indicated that based on his pretrial investigation the alibi “would not fly”, and that he tried to talk Poindexter out of filing the defense (Id. at 2776-77.) Despite overwhelming evidence that Poindexter was at his ex-girlfriend’s apartment and committed the murder, he told his attorneys that he was on a Metro bus at the time of the shootings and that the bus driver would remember him because of his dreadlocks. Perrino investigated the alibi, despite difficulty in locating the drivers, and eventually spoke to one driver, who clearly stated that he would not be able to identify Poindexter. When his efforts at substantiating Poindexter’s alleged alibi proved unsuccessful, Perrino made the strategic decision not to proceed further, and repeatedly tried to convince Poindexter to abandon the claim. Poindexter also refused to allow his attorneys to enter into plea negotiations in an effort to reduce the charge. Review of counsel’s performance is highly deferential and “counsel is strongly presumed to have rendered adequate assistance and made all significant decisions in the exercise of reasonable professional judgment.” Strickland, 466 U.S. at 690. While counsel has “a duty to make reasonable investigations,” this includes the duty “to make a reasonable decision that makes particular investigations unnecessary.” Id. at 691; see also Sims v. Livesay, 970 F.2d 1575, 1581 (6th Cir. 1992) (quoting Strickland, 466 U.S. at 691)); accord Wiggins v. Smith, 539 U.S. 510, 521 (2003) (stating that “strategic choices made after less than a complete investigation are reasonable precisely to the extent that reasonable professional judgments support the limitations on investigation”) (quoting Strickland, 466 U.S. at 690-91). Here, Perrino exercised reasonable professional judgment in limiting his efforts after he was unable to substantiate Poindexter’s claimed alibi. This is especially true given that several people, including Hurt, neighbors Leonard and Wood, and most importantly, Abernathy, all had ample opportunity to observe and place Poindexter at the scene of the murder and to identify him as the assailant and murderer. The state courts did not err by ruling that counsels’ performance in the investigation and presentation of a coherent defense met Strickland standards. Cf. Towns v. Smith, 395 F.3d 251, 258-59 (6th Cir. 2005) (holding that trial counsel’s failure to investigate a potentially important witness in a robbery and felony murder constituted ineffective assistance, especially where counsel knew of, and requested that the witness be kept in the county jail prior to trial, and there was a reasonable probability that, had the jury heard the witness’s testimony, the outcome would have been different); Clinkscale v. Carter, 375 F.3d 430, 443 (6th Cir. 2004) (collecting cases holding that counsel’s failure to investigate a potential alibi witness constituted ineffective assistance). The district court erred in ruling to the contrary. For the same reasons, the district court erred in granting the writ on the basis that counsel should have requested a continuance to further search for the elusive bus driver in an effort to present a cohesive alibi defense. As for any possible “crime of passion” defense, the state court properly found that it was inconsistent with Poindexter’s continued insistence that he did not shoot Kevin Flanaghan. In addition, evidence that Poindexter discussed his plan to kill Abernathy’s current boyfriend a week before the murder, see Poindexter, 520 N.E.2d at 569, and that he broke into Abernathy’s townhouse Nos. 01-3250/3300 Poindexter v. Mitchell Page 9 apartment while the victim was asleep, establishes prior intent and is utterly inconsistent with a crime of passion defense. Given the strength of the State’s evidence, there is no reasonable probability that such a defense would have been successful. In sum, the district court erred in granting the writ on this basis. 3. Presentation of Mitigating Evidence At Sentencing The district court also conditionally granted the writ on the grounds that counsel failed to present significant mitigation evidence. Respondent challenges this ruling. On May 20, 1985, five days after the conclusion of the trial, the mitigation phase began. Defense counsel presented five witnesses during this phase: (1) Tammy Lancaster, Poindexter’s sister; (2) John Davis, Poindexter’s close friend and father figure; (3) Maggie Lancaster, Poindexter’s grandmother; (4) Jewell Lancaster, Poindexter’s mother; and (5) Poindexter himself. Tammy Lancaster testified that her brother was a good student, was involved in gymnastics in school, was peaceful and quiet and kept to himself. John Davis testified that Poindexter got along with everyone, that he was “always good,” that he read the Bible a lot, and went to work every day. Maggie Lancaster testified that Poindexter had always been a good child, read his Bible, and was “always good and kind to everybody.” She said that he was quiet and peaceful and that she had never known him to have any trouble. Jewell Lancaster testified that she never had any problems with her son, that he was very involved in gymnastics in school, and that he quit school four weeks before graduation. She asked the jury to have mercy on her son. Poindexter made an unsworn statement. He told the jury that he had known Tracy Abernathy since she was six years old, that the two had lived together as husband and wife for two years, and that they had two sons. He described an incident where he slapped Abernathy for wearing an “obscene” miniskirt. He stated that Abernathy’s mother had instigated everything against him, because she disliked dreadlocks. At this point, Poindexter refused to continue reading the prepared statement and his attorneys called a recess at which they convinced him to continue. (Id.) After resuming the statement, Poindexter told the jury that other than domestic violence charges, he had never been in trouble with the law. He told the jury that he loved his family and his children very much, that he was a religious person, that he did not believe in violence, and that he did not use profanity, drugs, or alcohol. He told the jury that he believed in God and had always tried to live a good and decent life. Lastly, he yelled, “And the main thing, I didn’t kill that man,” and slammed the microphone down. The jury nonetheless sentenced Poindexter to death. Poindexter raised ineffective assistance in mitigation in his first petition for post-conviction relief, claiming that counsel failed to present evidence of his troubled background, paranoid personality disorder, Tracy Abernathy’s unfaithfulness and his Rastafarian religion. In support, Poindexter offered the affidavits of family members, neighbors, trial counsel, and two experts, a psychologist and an anthropologist. The state trial post-conviction court held that neither expert explained what special effect, if any, Poindexter’s paranoid personality disorder had on Poindexter’s planning and executing an aggravated murder, or how it affected his ability to know right from wrong or to conform to the requirements of the law. The court further held that defense counsel’s tactic at mitigation was to demonstrate that Poindexter was not a dangerous person, and that except for his relationship with Tracy Abernathy, he was a quiet, religious, peace-loving man. The court also observed that in his investigation, trial counsel obtained a prior pre-sentence report, talked to various relatives, and spent hours with the defendant. The court noted that there was no hint of mental disease or defect. The court concluded that counsel’s tactic of portraying Poindexter to be a quiet, peaceful, religious person was within the acceptable range of practice. Nos. 01-3250/3300 Poindexter v. Mitchell Page 10 The district court rejected Poindexter’s arguments that evidence concerning Poindexter’s Rastafarian religion and evidence of Abernathy’s alleged unfaithfulness would have served to mitigate Poindexter’s actions and did not support his ineffective assistance of counsel claim. However, the district court held that the other mitigation evidence supported Poindexter’s ineffective assistance claim. First, the court noted that in his 1995 deposition testimony, trial counsel Pandilidis testified that co-counsel Perrino conducted the investigation for the mitigation phase, and that Perrino stated that he did not learn of a history of abuse in Poindexter’s family in the course of that investigation. The district court found that this evidence, along with the transcript of the mitigation phase of the trial, suggested that counsel failed to conduct a thorough investigation in preparation for the mitigation phase and to present Poindexter’s best case in mitigation. The district court then noted that the following evidence was available at the time of the mitigation phase and was not discovered by counsel or presented to the jury. First, the court noted that Petitioner’s childhood neighbor, Betty Gamble, stated in an affidavit that Poindexter’s father beat Petitioner, his mother, and his sister. She further stated that Poindexter’s mother ignored her children, did not cook for them, sent them to school in dirty clothes, and beat them. Gamble also stated that Petitioner’s mother had attempted to kill the entire family by shutting them in the house and turning on a gas stove. Lastly, Gamble indicated that Poindexter’s attorneys did not contact her at the time of trial. Second, another neighbor, Ledonia Clark, reiterated in an affidavit that Poindexter’s mother had attempted to kill herself and her children. She also had not been contacted by counsel at the time of trial. Third, John Davis, a former long-term boyfriend of Poindexter’s mother, stated in an affidavit that Poindexter’s mother was a heavy drinker and used marijuana almost daily. He also stated that Poindexter’s mother was frequently involved in violent fights in front of her children. Fourth, Poindexter’s mother stated that when Poindexter was a very small child, Poindexter’s father would frequently beat her and that she suspected that the children saw the fights. The district court found that trial counsel “conceded that they did not conduct a thorough investigation and, specifically, did not investigate Petitioner’s childhood and family background”, and thus, did not make a strategic choice to keep such evidence from the jury. Accordingly, the district court concluded that counsel’s penalty phase performance “fell at least marginally below an objective standard of reasonable representation,” meeting the first prong of the Strickland test. The court also found that the evidence concerning Poindexter’s childhood that was not presented to the jury might have affected the jury’s appraisal of his moral culpability. The district court therefore granted relief on Poindexter’s ineffective assistance at mitigation without addressing the significance, if any, of the expert testimony. “The Constitution . . . requires defense counsel to reasonably investigate a defendant’s background and present it to the jury.” Austin v. Bell, 126 F.3d 843, 848 (6th Cir. 1997). Trial counsel’s failure to conduct “a reasonable investigation of a defendant’s psychiatric history and family background and to present mitigating evidence to the jury at sentencing, can constitute ineffective assistance.” Wiggins v. Smith, 539 U.S. 510, 522-23 (2003); Clark v. Mitchell, 425 F.3d 270, 284 (6th Cir. 2005). “In assessing counsel’s investigation, we must conduct an objective review of their performance, measured for ‘reasonableness under prevailing professional norms.’” Wiggins, 539 U.S. at 523 (quoting Strickland, 466 U.S. at 688). Neither the Supreme Court nor this Circuit have hesitated to find ineffective assistance where counsel has failed to fulfill this obligation. See, e.g., Wiggins, 539 U.S. at 523-28 (finding ineffective assistance based on counsel’s failure to follow leads that would have lead them to discover evidence of severe privation and abuse as a child from his alcoholic mother, and sexual torment and rape in foster care, as well as diminished mental capacities); Williams v. Taylor, 529 U.S. 362, 395 (2000) (finding counsel’s performance deficient where counsel failed to investigate or otherwise prepare for mitigation until a week before trial and failed to “conduct an investigation Nos. 01-3250/3300 Poindexter v. Mitchell Page 11 that would have uncovered extensive records graphically describing Williams’ nightmarish childhood”); Harries v. Bell, 417 F.3d 631, 638 (6th Cir. 2005) (finding that counsel failed to conduct an adequate investigation where counsel limited their investigation to contacting by telephone the petitioner’s mother and brother, sent requests for information to some institutions in which the petitioner had been confined, interviewed only four witnesses–the petitioner, his codefendant, and two state witnesses, and declined to seek the assistance of a mental health expert or to conduct a thorough investigation into the petitioner’s history of mental health or family background); Hamblin v. Mitchell, 354 F.3d 482, 488 (6th Cir. 2003) (adopting the 1989 and 2003 standard for attorneys representing death penalty prisoners in 1982 and holding that counsel’s failure to adhere to those guidelines constituted ineffective assistance of counsel; finding that had counsel investigated the case, counsel would have found a large body of mitigating evidence including fact that the petitioner grew up in a poor and unstable environment and likely suffered from a mental disability or disorder); Powell v. Collins, 332 F.3d 376, 399 (6th Cir. 2003) (holding that trial counsel’s failure to construct the defendant’s social history through access to background records and interviews with family and friends constituted deficient performance); Coleman v. Mitchell, 268 F.3d 417, 452 (6th Cir. 2001) (holding that trial counsel were ineffective for failing to investigate and present the petitioner’s highly traumatic childhood, two head injuries, psychological history showing a borderline retarded range IQ and mixed personality disorder); Carter v. Bell, 218 F.3d 581, 597, 599 (6th Cir. 2000) (finding deficient performance because counsel failed to investigate and present at mitigation evidence of the defendant’s illegitimacy, family history, limited education, low IQ, mental condition and positive relationships with children); Austin v. Bell, 126 F.3d 843, 849 (6th Cir. 1997) (holding that counsel’s failure to investigate and present mitigation “because he didn’t think it would do any good” rendered death sentence unreliable); Glenn v. Tate, 71 F.3d 1204, 1208-11 (6th Cir. 1995) (holding that counsel’s investigation was deficient where the attorneys presented some, but failed to uncover more convincing mitigating evidence, including evidence of the petitioner’s mental retardation, his neurological impairment, and his need for attention and susceptibility to the influence of his brother). Counsel’s failure to investigate is not excused by the fact that Poindexter could have provided much of this information. Cf. Hamblin, 354 F.3d at 492 (noting that “ABA and judicial standards do not permit the courts to excuse counsel’s failure to investigate or prepare because the defendant so requested”; and cases cited therein). See also Dickerson v. Bagley, ____ F.3d ____, No. 04-4277, 2006 WL1867134 (6th Cir. July 7, 2006). Based on the foregoing precedent, we agree with the district court’s conclusion that Poindexter’s counsel failed to conduct constitutionally adequate investigation. See Harries, 417 F.3d at 638. The record reflects that Poindexter’s counsel failed to conduct virtually any investigation, let alone sufficient investigation to make any strategic choices possible. They did not request medical, educational, or governmental records that would have given insight into Poindexter’s background. They did not request funds to enlist a psychological or psychiatric expert to evaluate Poindexter, despite the fact that he exhibited odd behavior. They did not consult with an investigator or mitigation specialist, who could have assisted in reconstructing Poindexter’s social history. They failed to interview key family members and friends who could have described his upbringing. And they did not even begin to prepare for mitigation until Poindexter was convicted, which was only five days before the sentencing phase began. This was despite the fact that prevailing norms at the time of trial required counsel in a death penalty case to seek records, interview family members and friends, and obtain appropriate mental evaluations well in advance of trial. See Hamblin, 354 F.3d at 487-88. Further, counsel offered no strategic explanation for failing to pursue these avenues of mitigation. Such inadequate representation in the sentencing phase satisfied the deficient performance prong of Strickland. See, e.g., Coleman, 268 F.3d at 452; Groseclose, 130 F.3d at 1166. Furthermore, counsel’s failure to investigate, prepare, and present mitigating evidence prejudiced Poindexter because the jury was not presented with a full picture of Poindexter’s troubled childhood. The details of Poindexter’s poor upbringing and social history were summarized by Dr. Nos. 01-3250/3300 Poindexter v. Mitchell Page 12 Eisenberg, the forensic psychologist who evaluated Poindexter in conjunction with his 1989 state post-conviction petition. First, Dr. Eisenberg detailed Poindexter’s family history. He described Poindexter as coming from a “very dysfunctional family unit,” and as “the product of four generations of alcoholism and physical abuse and emotional abuse.” Eisenberg noted that Poindexter’s maternal grandparents were alcoholics and that his mother, Jewell, drank heavily and was violent, argumentative, depressed, suicidal, and neglectful of her children. Eisenberg reported that Jewell had three significant relationships, two of which involved alcohol abuse and domestic violence. Her first husband was Will Poindexter, Dewaine’s father. He was an abusive alcoholic. He left before Dewaine’s birth, and Dewaine had no memory of him. Jewell’s second paramour and the father of Dewaine’s sister Tammy, was also an alcoholic with a history of domestic violence towards Jewell. Jewell’s third relationship was with John Davis, who testified at trial. Davis provided a somewhat “stable” relationship; however, he was married with six children. Notwithstanding, during this relationship Jewell tried to kill herself and her children by turning the gas on the stove while locking herself and her three children in the apartment. As a result, Jewell was probated to Longview State Hospital and the children were placed in various foster homes. According to Eisenberg, given Dewaine’s family history of alcoholism, neglect, and violence, along with the lack of a strong father figure and the presence of an alcoholic abusive mother, “[i]t [was] no wonder that Dewaine was somewhat mistrustful of others.” Eisenberg also detailed Poindexter’s psychological history. He found that Dewaine Poindexter was functioning in the borderline range of intelligence with a verbal IQ of 83 and a performance IQ of 70, resulting in a full scale IQ of 76, which places him in the fifth percentile of the population. Eisenberg also noted that the incongruity between the verbal and performance scores suggested an incongruity between his cognitive capacities and behavioral responses, such that in a stressful situation, Poindexter was likely to act out in a far more primitive manner than the situation would warrant. Eisenberg reported that Poindexter’s responses on the Rorschach Inkblot Test were typical of individuals who are defensive and distrustful. The Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory test of basic personality functioning profiled Poindexter as excessively suspicious and mistrustful of others, and therefore restricted in his ability to express tender feelings. Eisenberg concluded that based on the results of the psychological evaluation, clinical interviews, and review of the various records, it was his opinion that Poindexter suffers from a paranoid personality disorder, and meets the diagnostic criteria for this disorder as listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (3d ed.). Eisenberg explained that the disorder began during his childhood years and remained his “predominant personality style.” Eisenberg then explained how Poindexter’s disorder may have affected his behavior, noting that “[p]aranoid individuals expect to be exploited by others, question the loyalty of close friends, bear grudges for long periods of time, question the fidelity of sexual partners, and have difficulty confiding in other[s] for fear that the information will be used against them. Pathological jealousy is also an important feature in many paranoid individuals.” Eisenberg found all of these factors true for Dewaine Poindexter. Eisenberg added that Dewaine’s relationship with Tracy Abernathy was “chaotic and abusive.” He noted that Poindexter felt he had the right to tell Tracy what to do, based on the Rastafarian religion and that he believed that Tracy belonged to him. Eisenberg further noted that while incarcerated prior to the instant offense, Poindexter was aware that Tracy was seeing other men. Thus, Eisenberg stated that “[i]n my opinion, and as a result of his paranoid personality disorder, Dewaine had a pathological jealous reaction accompanied by rage. He directed this anger towards Tracy and her paramour, Kevin Flanaghan, and the security guard, John Hurt.” As Eisenberg’s testimony reveals, Poindexter had a troubled upbringing and suffers from a paranoid disorder that likely caused him to distrust others and be defensive of his own actions. Nos. 01-3250/3300 Poindexter v. Mitchell Page 13 Further, Eisenberg’s testimony would have helped the jury understand Poindexter’s attitude towards Tracy Abernathy. However, trial counsels’ investigation was so minimal that they never uncovered available evidence of Poindexter’s difficult upbringing and paranoid personality disorder. Both the Supreme Court and this Court have acknowledged that evidence of a psychological condition, a history of mental illness within the family, and a background of abuse and neglect are mitigating factors that a capital defendant has a right to present at sentencing. See, e.g., Wiggins, 539 U.S. at 636-37; Williams, 529 U.S. at 370-71; Powell, 332 F.3d at 396; Glenn, 71 F.3d at 1207. In short, we conclude that had counsel investigated and presented a fuller and more accurate description of Poindexter’s troubled childhood, and paranoid personality disorder, there is a reasonable probability that the jury would not have recommended the death sentence. See Wiggins, 539 U.S. at 537 (noting that the prejudice prong is satisfied if “there is a reasonable probability that at least one juror would have struck a different balance”); cf. Rompilla v. Beard, 125 S. Ct. 2456, 2468-69 (2006) (holding that had counsel conducted an adequate investigation, the jury would have heard evidence of alcohol abuse, schizophrenia, and a highly abusive family life, which would have destroyed the “benign conception” presented by the petitioner and some family members and likely would have influenced the jury’s appraisal of the petitioner’s culpability). For these reasons, any mitigation strategy to portray Poindexter as a peaceful person was unreasonable since that strategy was the product of an incomplete investigation. See Strickland, 466 U.S. at 690-91. We therefore uphold the district court’s decision with further instructions to remand the case to state court for further sentencing proceedings consistent with this opinion.