Opinion ID: 1250281
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Ineffective assistance of counsel and fair trial.

Text: Wagner raises a myriad of alleged instances of ineffective assistance of counsel and denial of a fair trial. Clearly, the most unusual issue involves the testimony of Michael Gavin, a hostile defense witness who at one point in his testimony vomited on defense counsel. Gavin's testimony was considered by the jury and neither Wagner nor the State made any claim his actions or his subsequent unavailability adversely impacted their right to present their cases. Wagner asserts Gavin's actions and the unusual circumstances surrounding them denied him the right to a fair trial. Because this contention is asserted for the first time on appeal and was never considered by trial court, it is waived. Patchette v. State, 374 N.W.2d 397, 401 (Iowa 1985). Regardless, Wagner points to nothing in the record to suggest the jury was turned against him by Gavin's actions, or that his defense was prejudiced in any way. Wagner's alleged instances of ineffective assistance include trial counsel's failure to call particular witnesses, counsel's failure to seek the disqualification of the State prosecutor, and trial counsel's failure to strike for cause one particular juror. Wagner concedes there is nothing in this record to support his contentions but asks us to preserve them for postconviction review. We decline to do so. To preserve claims of ineffective assistance of counsel for postconviction review, a defendant must make some minimal showing from which this court can assess the potential viability of his or her claim. State v. White, 337 N.W.2d 517, 519 (Iowa 1983). Such a showing should not only demonstrate some need for further development of the record, but should indicate why the challenged actions are believed to have been ineffective and what prejudice is likely to have resulted from them. The bald assertion that certain acts constitute ineffective assistance of counsel will be insufficient to preserve the question for postconviction proceedings. Id. Here, Wagner has made no attempt to demonstrate why further proceedings are necessary or what he hopes to establish by them. He provides no definitive instances of possible prejudice flowing from counsel's challenged actions. We conclude Wagner has raised no viable claim of ineffective assistance here, and find no basis for preserving these issues for postconviction review.