Opinion ID: 1800634
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Failure to adequately confront prosecution witness Johnny Robbins

Text: ¶ 33. Johnny Robbins, a probation officer from the MDOC, was called as a witness for the sole purpose of introducing Hodges's prior burglary conviction into evidence at sentencing. Hodges argues that trial counsel should have objected to the introduction of the copy of the conviction and should have brought out personal information about Hodges on cross-examination. On direct appeal this Court found that the copy of the conviction was properly admitted, so counsel was not ineffective for failure to object. This Court further found that there is no indication that Robbins knew Hodges personally and could have testified to information of a personal nature. This Court further found that, assuming trial counsel failed to adequately cross-examine Robbins, there was no prejudice. Hodges, 912 So.2d at 767. ¶ 34. Hodges argues that defense counsel should have brought out, through Johnny Robbins or some other corrections officer, that Hodges exhibited no behavioral problems during his time in RID. While this might have been helpful, it also might have reminded the jury that Hodges was given an opportunity to avoid the conduct which resulted in his death sentence and wasted it.