Opinion ID: 2497751
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Summary Denial of Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Claim Pertaining to Failure to Present Testimony of Dr. Brad Fisher at the Penalty Phase

Text: Franqui contends that the postconviction court erred in summarily denying his claim that counsel was ineffective for failing to call Dr. Brad Fisher, a clinical forensic psychologist, to testify in the penalty phase of the trial. Franqui asserts that Dr. Fisher could have testified, as he did in his deposition, that Franqui would make a good adjustment to prison life and would not commit any acts of violence while incarcerated because he had not done so during the time he had been incarcerated prior to trial. The State submits that the lower court properly found that significant contradictions existed between Dr. Fisher's opinion and Dr. Jethro Toomer's opinion such that not calling Dr. Fisher to testify could be considered to be reasonable trial strategy. The circuit court's order stated: Dr. Toomer conducted tests on the Defendant, which allowed him to draw opinions regarding his mental health, which were properly presented by defense counsel to the judge and jury during the penalty phase as mitigating factors. The trial judge and jury heard testimony from several witnesses that the Defendant did not use drugs or alcohol. Doctor Toomer opined that the Defendant was mentally retarded. The trial attorney's choice to not have Dr. Fisher testify regarding a good adjustment to prison life is reasonable. Dr. Fisher also would have testified that the Defendant was not mentally retarded. Dr. Toomer, a psychologist and diplomate of the American Board of Professional Psychology, conducted a psychological evaluation of Franqui and testified during the penalty phase. He told the jury about Franqui's difficulties and deprivations early in life and about his mental deficits. Dr. Toomer concluded that Franqui exhibited a lifelong condition under which he would make poor decisions regarding how to behave because he had a low IQ, deficits in intellectual functioning, and organic deficits. [15] Dr. Toomer also testified that Franqui had problems communicating. Dr. Fisher, on the other hand, had no difficulty communicating with Franqui, and said he observed nothing in his interaction with Franqui indicating a mental illness or any problems with intellectual functioning. Moreover, Dr. Fisher testified to an opinion about Franqui's level of intelligence that was contrary to Dr. Toomer's opinion. Dr. Fisher said, Yes, I think his judgment, his intelligence is probably average. Thus, any benefit that would have accrued from using Dr. Fisher's testimony in the penalty phase would have been offset by the fact that his testimony was contrary to Dr. Toomer's on a key element of mitigation in Franqui's penalty phase case that Franqui had substantial mental deficits. Thus, the record demonstrates that counsel's decision not to present Dr. Fisher's testimony under the circumstances `might be considered sound trial strategy.' Strickland, 466 U.S. at 689, 104 S.Ct. 2052 (quoting Michel v. Louisiana, 350 U.S. 91, 101, 76 S.Ct. 158, 100 L.Ed. 83 (1955)). We explained in Winkles v. State, 21 So.3d 19 (Fla.2009), that [a]n ineffective assistance claim does not arise from the failure to present mitigation evidence where that evidence presents a double-edged sword. Id. at 26 (quoting Reed v. State, 875 So.2d 415, 437 (Fla.2004)). Moreover, error, if any, on counsel's part in failing to present the testimony of Dr. Fisher during the penalty phase cannot reasonably be viewed as so affecting the fairness and reliability of the proceeding that confidence in the outcome is undermined. See Maxwell, 490 So.2d at 932. The postconviction court did not err in summarily denying this claim.