Opinion ID: 1822567
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Failure to Investigate and Present Victim Misconduct Evidence

Text: Kearse next claims that defense counsel was ineffective for insufficiently investigating and by failing to use a mitigation strategy to vilify the victim. Kearse argues that evidence of Officer Parrish's prior misconduct suggested that he provoked the incident resulting in his death and that presentation of this mitigation would have resulted in a life sentence. Defense counsel considered this strategy and investigated citizen complaints against Officer Parrish. Counsel testified that after considering several factorsincluding the refusal of some witnesses to testify, the lack of substance of some testimony, and determinations by the Fort Pierce police that formal complaints against the officer were unfoundedhe ultimately decided not to use this strategy. In addition, he considered the potential that the strategy would backfire, especially in light of the facts, such as Kearse's firing thirteen bullets into the officer as the officer pled for his life and Kearse's passenger's testimony that at all times Officer Parrish was friendly and polite. Defense counsel admitted that he did not request the officer's personnel file. However, the evidence at the postconviction hearing showed that any evidence in the file supporting the vilification mitigation could have been countered at trial by other evidence in it of Officer Parrish's good reports and commendations. We find that counsel's decision not to present this mitigation strategy was reasonable. Further, Kearse has not demonstrated prejudice from counsel's failure to obtain the personnel record. Accordingly, we affirm denial of relief on this claim.