Opinion ID: 1922190
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Ineffective Assistance Regarding Knife and Blood Evidence

Text: Derrick's final allegations of error regarding the guilt-phase ineffective assistance claims that were summarily denied involve the following: trial counsel's failure to object to the State's closing argument about the type of knife that was used on the victim; the failure of trial counsel to object to the testimony of State witnesses Calhoun and Page; and trial counsel's failure to attack blood evidence found at the crime scene. As to the first aspect of this claim, the State argued in its closing argument that the medical examiner, whom the State called as a witness, made a mistake in determining that the murder weapon was a single-edged blade because the photos of the victim's wounds plainly showed that the blade used was double-edged. In summarily denying this claim, the trial court found the closing arguments proper, stating that Derrick was seen with both single and double-edged knives and admitted to using a double-edged knife during the murder. We agree that there was nothing improper about this closing argument for the same reasons; accordingly, the trial court did not err in summarily denying the claim that trial counsel was deficient in failing to object. See Mungin v. State, 932 So.2d 986, 997 (Fla.2006) (finding that the prosecutor's statements were proper and therefore ineffective assistance of counsel for failing to object could not be established). As to the claim of failure to object to the admissibility of the testimony of State witnesses Calhoun and Page regarding blood splatter evidence, neither witness's testimony amounted to expert opinion. Both witnesses were crime scene technicians and testified as to their observations, such as the location and position of the body and its distance from a trail of blood found on a pathway. Because trial counsel cannot be held ineffective for failing to object to properly admissible testimony, see id., summary denial of this claim was also proper. Finally, Derrick alleges that counsel was ineffective for failing to hire an expert to examine a bloody T-shirt found at the crime scene and analyze actual blood evidence and the videotape of the crime scene. The trial court found that it was unnecessary for counsel to obtain an independent analysis of the blood evidence because there was no suggestion that the blood did not belong to the victim or that anyone else bled in the vicinity of the crime scene. Further, Derrick did not allege how an independent analysis of the videotape or bloody T-shirt would demonstrate prejudice. We agree with the trial court that the allegations do not provide a basis for a finding of deficiency or prejudice. However, we note that subsequent to his rule 3.850 motion, Derrick filed in the trial court a motion for postconviction DNA testing pursuant to Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure Rule 3.853. The State did not oppose the motion and the trial court granted the testing. The items to be tested include the bloody shirt, but also include a partially eaten hot dog, a sample from a blood drop found under a nearby picnic table, and fingernail scrapings from the victim. Accordingly, although we affirm the summary denial of the claim of ineffective assistance of counsel relating to the blood evidence and videotape, we do so without prejudice to consideration of the separate DNA proceedings in the trial court.