Opinion ID: 1881430
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Admission of False Identification Cards

Text: In claim nine, Downs claims that his appellate counsel rendered ineffective assistance on appeal by failing to argue that the trial court erred in permitting the State to introduce a driver's license with Downs' picture but bearing a different name. He claims that such evidence constituted improper nonstatutory aggravation and prejudicial evidence of flight. We find this claim to be without merit. As for Downs' assertion that appellate counsel should have challenged the admission of the fake license as improper evidence of flight, we find that trial counsel failed to preserve this specific argument for appellate review. Although trial counsel objected to the admission of the license, he did so on grounds that the license was not relevant to the resentencing proceedings. Trial counsel did not argue that the license was being improperly used to show flight. Thus, it does not appear from the record that Downs preserved this issue for appeal. Hence, appellate counsel cannot be deemed ineffective for failing to raise it on appeal. See Rutherford, 774 So.2d at 643. Moreover, it does not appear from the record that the State attempted to use the false driver's license as nonstatutory aggravation or as evidence of flight. The record indicates that after the State's last witness testified, the State submitted into evidence the driver's license displaying Downs' picture but bearing his brother's name. The State argued that the license was relevant to show what Downs looked like in 1977, especially since Downs had made an issue of his appearance during that time. Indeed, Downs testified that in 1977 he had blond hair from working in the sun. He also introduced photographs allegedly taken in 1977, which he claimed depicted how he looked during that time. The trial court admitted the license over defense counsel's objection. The State did not argue that the license indicated evidence of flight. And the State did not refer to the driver's license during its closing argument or argue that it showed Downs' propensity to commit crimes. Accordingly, we find both arguments to be without merit. As a result, Downs has failed to demonstrate that appellate counsel's failure to raise either of these arguments on appeal constituted deficient performance sufficient for habeas relief.