Court Opinion

ID: 9850637
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 05:00:29.401646+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:20:40.856528
License: Public Domain

BURNETT, Justice
(dissenting):
I respectfully dissent. As noted by the majority, if there is any probative evidence which supports the findings of the PCR judge, those findings must be upheld. Anderson v. State, 342 S.C. 54, 535 S.E.2d 649 (2000). Because there is probative evidence which supports the PCR judge’s findings in this matter, the Court is required to affirm.
First, I agree mother and father offered inadmissible hearsay testimony regarding the victim’s identity of the perpetrator and the specific details of the assault. Nonetheless, counsel articulated a valid, strategic reason for not objecting to the *277hearsay. Counsel’s decision not to object to mother’s and father’s testimony because it did not bolster the victim’s testimony was a reasonable, strategic decision. Mother and father testified the victim stated Sanchez “stuck his finger in her hiney.” The victim, however, testified to various accounts of the incident, none of which specifically stated Sanchez “stuck his finger in her hiney.” In my opinion, counsel offered a valid trial strategy by not objecting to mother’s and father’s testimony as their testimony contradicted the victim’s already vague description of the assault. Caprood v. State, 338 S.C. 103, 525 S.E.2d 514 (2000) (where counsel articulates a valid reason for employing certain strategy, the conduct will not be deemed ineffective).
Furthermore, even if it'were deficient for counsel not to object to the hearsay testimony, Sanchez failed to establish prejudice as mother’s and father’s testimony arguably undermined the victim’s testimony. Cf. Dawkins v. State, 346 S.C. 151, 551 S.E.2d 260 (2001) (improper hearsay testimony which corroborates victim’s testimony cannot be harmless). Accordingly, the Court must affirm the PCR court. Anderson v. State, supra.
Second, counsel articulated a valid trial strategy by not objecting to the police officer’s hearsay testimony concerning the victim’s demonstration of the assault through the use of anatomically correct dolls. The police officer who was present during the victim’s demonstration testified the victim placed the fingers of the adult male doll into the vagina of the child female doll. However, the victim’s testimony was less than clear. Initially, the victim stated Sanchez “touched her on her bottom with his dingle.” She later appeared to retract this statement, testifying Sanchez touched her with his fingers. To compound the difficulty of understanding her description of the assault, the victim used the terms “hiney,” “dingle,” and “penis” interchangeably. In my opinion, counsel articulated a valid trial strategy by not objecting to the officer’s testimony as the hearsay testimony contradicted the victim’s trial testimony. Caprood v. State, supra (where trial counsel articulates valid reason for employing certain trial strategy, the conduct will not be deemed ineffective).
Even if counsel should have objected to the officer’s testimony, Sanchez failed to establish prejudice. The victim’s *278demonstration of the assault through the use of anatomically correct dolls impeached, rather than corroborated, her trial testimony. Cf. Dawkins v. State, supra (improper hearsay testimony which corroborates victim’s testimony cannot be harmless). Because the findings of the PCR judge are supported by the record, the Court must affirm. Anderson v. State, supra.
In essence, the majority holds it is never a reasonable trial strategy for trial counsel to decline to object to inadmissible hearsay testimony in a case involving criminal sexual conduct. I disagree with this conclusion. First, the majority ignores the fundamental presumption that trial counsel rendered adequate assistance and exercised reasonable professional judgment in making all significant decisions in a case, Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984), and that the PCR applicant has the burden of proving the allegations in his complaint. Rule 71.1(e), SCRCP. Second, there are circumstances where inadmissible hearsay testimony benefits a defense. This is one of those cases. Trial counsel proffered a valid reason not to object to the hearsay testimony. The Court should not second guess counsel’s legitimate reason for not objecting to the testimony.
I would affirm.1

. I agree with the majority’s decision affirming the State's issue pursuant to Rule 220(b)(1), SCACR, and the cited authorities.