Opinion ID: 2546714
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 19

Heading: Failure to Present Evidence of the Impact of Life Stressors

Text: Baumruk claims that the motion court clearly erred in overruling, without an evidentiary hearing, his claim that counsel was ineffective for failing to present expert testimony during the penalty phase regarding the numerous life stressors Baumruk was facing at the time of the shooting including the dissolution action itself, the death of his mother, and the relocation to a new job in Seattle. Baumruk claims that an expert could have testified that these stressors left him with an overwhelming sense of rejection and betrayal, which would have served as mitigating evidence. In overruling Baumruk's request for an evidentiary hearing, the motion court noted that both Dr. Nettles and Dr. Shopper testified in the guilt phase to their opinions regarding how the divorce proceeding and the other stressors in Baumruk's life related to his mental state at the time of the killing of his wife. The court also noted that Baumruk's counsel cross-examined both Dr. Peters and Dr. Rabun about Baumruk's anger and other emotions resulting from the dissolution. The motion court found that to permit another expert during the penalty phase to reiterate evidence already heard by the jury would have been unnecessary. The motion court did not clearly err in making this ruling because Baumruk failed to plead facts showing that he was entitled to relief. The failure to produce cumulative evidence is not a sufficient basis for a finding of ineffective assistance of counsel. Forrest, 290 S.W.3d at 709. In order to demonstrate that Baumruk was not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect, his counsel presented the testimony of Dr. Shopper and Dr. Nettles that Baumruk suffered from delusional disorder that created beliefs that the system was rigged against him, that he would therefore lose his house in the divorce, and that he was justified in taking action to prevent that from happening. The fact that counsel did not call another witness during the penalty phase to provide more testimony about these life stressors was a trade-off trial counsel was in the best position to assess. See Strong II, 263 S.W.3d at 652 (The choice of witnesses is ordinarily a matter of trial strategy and will not support an ineffective assistance of counsel claim.)