Opinion ID: 1640733
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: whether counsel were ineffective in failing to document and preserve the change-of-venue motion.

Text: ¶ 73. The murder occurred in Union County, and, prior to trial, Howell's attorneys argued that pretrial publicity prevented Howell from receiving a fair trial in Union County. In the motion to transfer venue, Howell's attorney referred to several newspaper articles and one television report about the murder. Howell submitted seven affidavits from citizens who stated that he could not receive a fair trial in Union County. The State called several witnesses at the hearing on the motion to transfer venue. The witnesses included the Union County chancery clerk, a former Union County circuit clerk, and two current Union County supervisors. All of the Union County officials testified that discussion of the Howell case had been minimal and that Howell could receive a fair trial in Union County. The motion to transfer venue was denied after the trial judge found that the State had overcome the presumption of partiality and that the defendant could receive a fair trial in Union County. ¶ 74. The merits of the change-of-venue motion were discussed in the direct appeal, where this Court found that the trial court had not abused its discretion in denying the motion to transfer venue. Howell, 860 So.2d at 720. This Court further reviewed the jury venire's responses to the trial court's questions about publicity and the jurors' ability to fairly judge the evidence. The Court determined that pretrial publicity had not tainted the jury pool. Id. ¶ 75. Howell now claims that his attorney failed to adequately investigate and present the motion to transfer venue. He offers the affidavit of a North Carolina attorney who states that the attorney was ineffective in failing to document other Union County cases where venue was changed which would have shown venue changes in far less public cases. The affiant produces no such Union County cases for us to review. The out-of-state attorney also claims that there was inadequate briefing of the motion to change venue. Howell provides no specific argument as to what should have been briefed or how any different argument would have yielded a better result. In its response, the State does not address the affidavits presented by Howell and poses no argument as to the merits of the ineffective-assistance-of-counsel claim. ¶ 76. We find that Howell's attorney filed a motion to change venue and supported that motion with numerous affidavits and all known relevant press documentation. The trial court held a hearing and determined that a fair trial could be held in Union County, and this Court found no error on appeal. The attorney adequately briefed and argued the motion. The mere fact that the motion to transfer venue was not granted does not lead to a finding of ineffective assistance of counsel. We find that this issue is without merit.