Opinion ID: 1439724
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 20

Heading: Counsel's failure to investigate Goodwin's mental state

Text: Goodwin's fifth claim states: The motion court clearly erred in denying a hearing on the claim that [Goodwin's] counsel was ineffective for failing to investigate and present evidence to rebut the state's suggestion that [Goodwin] planned to kill Mrs. Crotts and deliberated on the killing, because this denied [Goodwin] due process, effective assistance of counsel, right to present a defense, and subjected him to cruel and unusual punishment, . . . in that the motion alleged facts, not conclusions, that entitled [Goodwin] to relief, that counsel acted unreasonably in failing to investigate and present witnesses, Patty Higgins, Marilyn Lamb, Mary Welch, Mary Elaine Goodwin, Joseph Goodwin, Mary Mifflin, Kathleen Goodwin, Brenda Thomas, Jim Goodwin, Pat Goodwin, Dr. Meiners, Ray Dickerson, and Andy Silkwood, who would have testified: 1) that [Goodwin] was not capable of detailed planning due to his intellectual deficits, his inability to foresee consequences and his impulsive nature; 2) [Goodwin] was easily confused, got lost and wandered into strangers' houses when he was a child; and 3) [Goodwin] had legitimate reasons for walking on Hanley road, since he lived in the neighborhood and did not drive a car. The prosecutor argued, at trial, that Goodwin had plenty of time in Mrs. Crotts' home to deliberate and that he had spent a year and a half planning this murder. During the guilt phase of his trial, Goodwin called Dr. Schultz, who testified that Goodwin could not appreciate the nature, quality, and wrongfulness of his conduct or deliberate. Goodwin's claim is, essentially, that counsel was ineffective for not presenting more evidence to show that Goodwin lacked the capacity to deliberate. The motion court denied this claim without a hearing. It stated: [T]he Court's review of the proposed testimony indicates that if such testimony had been offered it would have been based upon hearsay, speculation and opinion as to [Goodwin's] thoughts or motives. As this testimony would have been inadmissible and does not provide a defense, trial counsel cannot be found to be ineffective for failing to call these witnesses. In addition, [Goodwin's] experts testified at trial concerning his mental capabilities and his abilities to form the present intent. Much of what [Goodwin] suggests would have been shown by the additional witnesses offered in these points is cumulative to evidence adduced at trial and at times conflicting with the mental health evidence offered by his experts. . . . . The proposed testimony of [Goodwin's] mother and sister is based upon hearsay, personal opinion, and speculation, which would have been ruled irrelevant had it been offered at trial. The subject of [Goodwin's] walking in the area was discussed by several witnesses including his expert. References to [Goodwin] walking towards home were offered by witnesses to serve as an additional basis of their identification of him. As [Goodwin's] proposed testimony would have been inadmissible and does not provide a defense, trial counsel cannot be found ineffective for failing to call these witnesses. Goodwin was not entitled to a hearing on this testimony. In order to be entitled to an evidentiary hearing, a movant must 1) cite facts, not conclusions, which, if true, would entitle movant to relief; 2) the factual allegations must not be refuted by the record; and 3) the matters complained of must prejudice the movant. State v. Blankenship, 830 S.W.2d 1, 16 (Mo. banc 1992). The factual allegations in Goodwin's 29.15 motion were that Goodwin could not form the required mental state because he was easily confused, could not foresee consequences, and, as a child, had wandered into strangers' houses. The motion court did not clearly err. These witnesses could not have testified to what Goodwin was thinking at the time of the murder. The motion court also correctly held that this evidence was presented through Goodwin's expert at trial. Dr. Schultz testified that Goodwin was easily confused and could not foresee consequences. Dr. Schultz evaluated Goodwin for eleven and a half hours before trial. She conducted personality testing, competency assessments, intelligence tests, achievement tests, malingering tests, psychological tests, and a personal history. Dr. Schultz reviewed and testified about Goodwin's school records from the Special School District. Dr. Schultz discussed Goodwin's hearing impairment, his employment history, his relationship with his family, his account of the murder, and the results of his testing. Dr. Schultz concluded that Goodwin suffered from major depression, a personality disorder, borderline intellectual functioning, and learning disorders. Dr. Schultz presented Goodwin's argument that he was not responsible for his conduct because he could not deliberate or foresee the consequences of his actions. The witnesses above would have testified to the same issue about which Dr. Schultz testified. The purpose of their testimonies would have been to show that Goodwin could not deliberate and that it was coincidental that he had been seen on Hanley road. Their testimonies would have been cumulative, and Goodwin provides no additional facts that would exculpate Goodwin. Counsel was not ineffective for not putting on cumulative evidence from these other witnesses. Skillicorn v. State, 22 S.W.3d 678, 683 (Mo. banc 2000), cert. denied, 531 U.S. 1039, 121 S.Ct. 630, 148 L.Ed.2d 538 (2000). This point is denied.