Court Opinion

ID: 9792972
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 02:40:13.165274+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:02:08.030127
License: Public Domain

MARTONE, Justice,
dissenting.
I dissent. Sixteen years ago the defendant brutally murdered his cell mate. That is beyond dispute. If this were a civil case, we would direct a verdict in favor of the plaintiff and against the defendant. We affirmed his conviction 13 years ago. State v. Vickers, 129 Ariz. 506, 633 P.2d 315 (1981). In rejecting a claim that the evidence justified the giving of a second degree murder instruction, we said that “the evidence showed that the killing was a deliberate and reflective act and could only be first degree murder.” Id. at 513, 633 P.2d at 322. A panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit disagreed with us on this issue and vacated the conviction in Vickers v. Ricketts, 798 F.2d 369 (9th Cir.1986). But even that panel had to concede “that evidence on lack of premeditation was not compelling.” Id at 373.
Thus, the defendant was retried, convicted, and his appeal is now before us. In the meantime, he was convicted of murdering yet another prisoner and we affirmed. State v. Vickers, 159 Ariz. 532, 768 P.2d 1177 (1989). So far as we know, the defendant remains under that death sentence.
But what have we here? Undoubtedly, the defendant’s lawyer fell below professional standards at his second trial. The conspiracy defense was frivolous on its face. Malanga’s withdrawal of the motion to suppress defendant’s confession was inexplicable. But the fact remains that there was still no credible evidence of second degree murder. So counsel did not present that defense.1 Nor does the defendant argue on appeal to us that the admission of the confession compromised his second degree murder defense. Instead, he argues that the confession sealed his fate on the first degree murder conviction. But his fate was already sealed. The overwhelming independent evidence of the defendant’s guilt in this case is such that we can say beyond a reasonable doubt that defendant would have been convicted of first degree murder without the confession. Therefore, I conclude that although Malanga’s performance was extraordinarily deficient, the defendant has failed to show that he was prejudiced by that deficiency as required by Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984). See Arizona v. Fulminante, 499 U.S. 279, 111 S.Ct. 1246, 113 L.Ed.2d 302 (1991) (even admission of involuntary confession subject to harmless error analysis). That is to say, the defendant stood a 100% chance of *530conviction of first degree murder without the confession and continued to stand a 100% chance of conviction of first degree murder with the confession. Appellate counsel for Vickers does not tell us what could have been done by competent trial counsel to make a difference.
But even if I agreed with the majority, more needs to be said about this outrageous case so that mistakes will not be repeated on retrial and so that trial judges in other cases will have some guidance on what to do when confronted by a plainly ineffective lawyer.
On May 9, 1989, the trial judge allowed Kirk V. Karman to withdraw as counsel, because Vickers “privately retained Mr. Malanga.” Minute entry, May 9, 1989, at 2. Ten days later, Malanga moved to continue the trial because “[o]ver 100 witnesses must be located and interviewed.” Motion to continue, May 19,1989, at 1. On the first day of trial, the state filed a formal written motion asking the trial judge to remove Malanga as counsel because “the likelihood of any conviction being upheld is slight as Mr. Malanga has been derelict in his duties to the point of ineffective assistance.” Motion to determine counsel, October 31,1989, at 2. After outlining the depth of Maianga’s failures, counsel for the state told the trial court that “the Supreme Court is going to come back, if you don’t do it, in a Rule 32, they’re going to come back and reverse this case.” Transcript, October 31, 1989, at 28. Counsel for the state told the trial court that Malanga actually told him that he was going to interview his witnesses “on the stand.” Id. at 31. Counsel for the state then told the trial court that “damn it, Judge, that is ineffective assistance of counsel. You can’t do things like that. You have to interview these people.” Id. And then Vickers said to the trial judge:
Your Honor, I think Ralph here is one of the greatest attorneys in Arizona, you know, and I think Mr. Powell is scared of him. He’s the one that ain’t doing his homework, you know. I’m satisfied with Ralph.
Id. at 41.
The trial judge denied the state’s motion. Minute entry of October 31, 1989.
It is rare for the state to bring an ineffectiveness claim to the attention of the trial judge. Where, as here, that happens, the trial judge will want to be especially alert to the problem. The record supports the state’s claim that in this capital case, Malanga was ineffective. I am of the view that when presented with undisputed evidence of ineffective assistance, a trial judge must remove counsel and substitute adequate counsel. The judge should make the appropriate record to protect against claims that he or she interfered with the defendant’s choice of counsel. I realize there is a Catch-22 aspect to this process. If counsel is removed, the defendant will argue that it is not the role of the judge to second guess his defense. If counsel is not removed, the defendant will argue that he has been denied effective assistance of counsel. But only the trial judge can make the findings that would support the correct alternative.
Finally, the initial responsibility for lawyer discipline with respect to Maianga’s performance rests with the State Bar of Arizona. The court properly refers him for appropriate action. Ante, at 527 n. 2, 885 P.2d at 1092 n. 2. But I would do more. The people ought not to have to bear the expense of yet a third trial in an otherwise indefensible case. I would enter an order requiring Malanga to pay all fees and costs associated with the retrial of this case. I would also enter an order requiring the trial judge to appoint two competent capital defense lawyers to represent Vickers at his third trial, all as recommended by Guideline 2.1, American Bar Association Guidelines for the Appointment and Performance of Counsel in Death Penalty Cases 41 (1989). The trial court should do everything in its power to ensure that the third trial is the last trial. It is time to get it right.

. The majority finds Malanga's failure to present evidence "that might have supported a jury verdict on second degree murder” to be the "reason that we find prejudice to the defense.” Ante, at 527 n. 1, 885 P.2d at 1092 n. 1. Thus, the majority suggests that upon remand from the Ninth Circuit, he had to present the defense which did him no good at the first trial, and which the Ninth Circuit characterized as “not compelling.”