Court Opinion

ID: 9704542
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 00:39:22.389413+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:22:03.380452
License: Public Domain

*270ROBERTS, Justice,
dissenting.
I dissent. In my view, trial counsel provided ineffective assistance in failing to move to suppress the victim’s in-court identification made outside counsel’s presence after arrest. Relying on the investigating officer’s testimony at the evidentiary hearing held after trial to the effect that the victim made no such identification, the majority concludes that appellant’s claim is without merit. This reliance, however, is entirely misplaced, for at trial the jury could reasonably conclude, based on the victim’s testimony, that the victim indeed “picked out” appellant at the photographic showing. There is, therefore, no foundation on this record to conclude that the photographic identification, which took place after appellant’s arrest and outside counsel’s presence, is valid. Nor is there anything on this record to indicate that the in-court identification had an independent origin. Appellant must be granted a new trial.