Grayson v. State
Grayson v. State
Opinion
[EDITORS' NOTE: THIS PAGE CONTAINS HEADNOTES. HEADNOTES ARE NOT AN OFFICIAL PRODUCT OF THE COURT, THEREFORE THEY ARE NOT DISPLAYED.] *Page 518 [EDITORS' NOTE: THIS PAGE CONTAINS HEADNOTES. HEADNOTES ARE NOT AN OFFICIAL PRODUCT OF THE COURT, THEREFORE THEY ARE NOT DISPLAYED.] *Page 519
This court's opinion in this case issued on January 13, 1995, is hereby withdrawn and the following opinion is substituted therefor.
The appellant, Darrell B. Grayson, was convicted of murder made capital because it was committed during a burglary; he was sentenced to death by electrocution. This conviction and sentence was affirmed on direct appeal. Grayson v. State,
The appellant claims that his counsel was ineffective at trial and on appeal. In cases in which, as here, trial counsel also served as appellate counsel, claims of ineffective assistance of counsel are cognizable in a Rule 32, Ala.R.Crim.P., petition. Ex parte Besselaar,
Hallford v. State," ' "[E]ven when the trial judge adopts proposed findings verbatim, the findings are those of the court and may be reversed only if clearly erroneous." Anderson v. Bessemer City, North Carolina,
470 U.S. 564 ,572 ,105 S.Ct. 1504 ,1511 ,84 L.Ed.2d 518 ,527 (1985). See also United States v. El Paso Natural Gas Co.,376 U.S. 651 ,84 S.Ct. 1044 ,12 L.Ed.2d 12 (1964) (verbatim findings are not to be summarily rejected and will stand if supported by the evidence); Weeks v. State,568 So.2d 864 (Ala.Cr.App. 1989), cert. denied, Weeks v. Alabama,498 U.S. 882 ,111 S.Ct. 230 ,112 L.Ed.2d 184 (1990) (issue discussed in dicta); Morrison v. State,551 So.2d 435 (Ala.Cr.App. 1989), cert. denied,495 U.S. 911 ,110 S.Ct. 1938 ,109 L.Ed.2d 301 (1990) (trial court's findings of fact and conclusions of law were not clearly erroneous and adoption of findings and conclusions was proper).' "
We cannot say that the findings of the trial court were clearly erroneous.
The United States Supreme Court, in Strickland v. Washington,
"First, the defendant must show that counsel's performance was deficient. This requires *Page 520 showing that counsel made errors so serious that counsel was not functioning as the 'counsel' guaranteed the defendant by the Sixth Amendment. Second, the defendant must show that the deficient performance prejudiced the defense. This requires showing that counsel's errors were so serious as to deprive the defendant of a fair trial, a trial whose result is reliable. Unless a defendant makes both showings, it cannot be said that the conviction or death sentence resulted from a breakdown in the adversary process that renders the result unreliable."
The Supreme Court went on to state that to prove prejudice
"[t]he defendant must show that there is a reasonable probability that, but for counsel's unprofessional errors, the result of the proceeding would have been different. A reasonable probability is a probability sufficient to undermine confidence in the outcome."
"[A]ny deficiencies in counsel's performance must be prejudicial to the defense in order to constitute ineffective assistance under the Constitution."
"Judicial scrutiny of counsel's performance must be highly deferential. It is all too tempting for a defendant to second-guess counsel's assistance after conviction or adverse sentence, and it is all too easy for a court, examining counsel's defense after it has proved unsuccessful, to conclude that a particular act or omission of counsel was unreasonable. Cf. Engle v. Isaac,
456 U.S. 107 ,133-134 ,102 S.Ct. 1558 ,1574-1575 ,71 L.Ed.2d 783 (1982). A fair assessment of attorney performance requires that every effort be made to eliminate the distorting effects of hindsight, to reconstruct the circumstances of counsel's challenged conduct, and to evaluate the conduct from counsel's perspective at the time. Because of the difficulties inherent in making the evaluation, a court must indulge a strong presumption that counsel's conduct falls within the wide range of reasonable professional assistance; that is, the defendant must overcome the presumption that, under the circumstances, the challenged action 'might be considered sound trial strategy.' See Michel v. Louisiana, supra, 350 U.S. [91] at 101, 76 S.Ct. [158] at 164, [100 L.Ed. 83 (1955)]."
"[A]ctual ineffectiveness claims alleging a deficiency in attorney performance are subject to a general requirement that the defendant affirmatively prove prejudice.
". . . .
"It is not enough for the defendant to show that the errors had some conceivable effect on the outcome of the proceeding."
Duren v. Missouri,"(1) that the group alleged to be excluded is a 'distinctive' group in the community; (2) that the representation of this group in venires from which juries are selected is not fair and reasonable in relation to the number of such persons in the community; and (3) that this underrepresentation is due to the systematic exclusion of the group in the jury-selection process."
" '[T]he fair cross-section requirement "ensures only a venire of randomness, one free of systematic exclusion. It does not ensure any particular venire." Note, United States v. Gelb: The Second Circuit's Disappointing Treatment of the Fair Cross-Section Guarantee, 57 Brook.L.Rev. 341, 343 n. 7 (1991). "Rather than *Page 521 being entitled to a cross-sectional venire' " a defendant "has a right only to a fair chance, based on a random draw, of having a jury drawn from a representative panel." Comment, The Cross-Section Requirement and Jury Impartiality, 73 Cal.L.Rev. 1555, 1565 (1985). See Johnson v. State,Dobyne v. State, 672 So.2d at 1329, (quoting Sistrunk v. State,502 So.2d 877 ,880 (Ala.Cr.App. 1987) (venire need not be " 'a perfect mirror of the community or accurately reflect the proportionate strength of every identifiable group.' ").' "
The appellant has not met the three-pronged test ofDuren and, as a result, cannot show that counsel was deficient in failing to challenge the racial makeup of the jury panel.
This claim asks the court to engage in the type of hindsight review and second-guessing against which Strickland
specifically warns. The appellant has not overcome the "strong presumption" that his counsel's performance fell within "the wide range of reasonable professional assistance."
The appellant, however, fails to adequately support this claim. The evidence offered in support of his claim consists of mere citations to the trial transcript and the deposition testimony of the law enforcement officers involved in the arrest, which is inconclusive and based on events that took place approximately 11 years earlier.
"The petitioner shall have the burden of pleading and proving by a preponderance of the evidence the facts necessary to entitle the petitioner to relief." Rule 32.3, Ala.R.Crim.P. A review of the relevant portion of the appellant's petition reveals that he did not meet this burden. The evidence offered by the appellant is insufficient to prove any deficient performance by the appellant's counsel regarding this issue. *Page 522
The complained of questions are as follows:
"I would like to know if any of you believe solely because an individual has been drinking alcoholic beverages that they are less responsible for their criminal acts than otherwise? Does anybody feel that because the defendant was drinking [he was] less responsible than [he] would otherwise be?""I will ask you whether or not the fact that a defendant had no prior criminal record would keep any of you from voting for the death penalty?"
"I would ask you to consider if the defendant had an accomplice in a crime whether the fact that he had an accomplice would affect any of your ability to vote for the death penalty?"
"And finally, I would ask you, considering the fact that the defendant was 19 at the time that a crime was committed, would that affect any of your abilities to return a death penalty?"
We cannot see how any of these questions are improper or, how they in any way eliminate consideration of, or force the jury not to find, any mitigating factors.
"A party may not solicit a promise to return a particular verdict. Ex parte Dobard,Ex parte Ford,435 So.2d 1351 (Ala. 1983), cert. denied,464 U.S. 1063 ,104 S.Ct. 745 ,79 L.Ed.2d 203 (1984). In asking [these] question[s], the prosecutor was not asking for a commitment or promise from the prospective jurors to vote for the death penalty. He was merely attempting to determine if any of the potential jurors were of a mind-set that would affect their verdict as tending to show bias or interest. The parties have a right, within the sound discretion of the trial court, to do this. Ex parte Ledbetter,404 So.2d 731 (Ala. 1981). Furthermore, questions concerning jurors' attitudes about capital punishment are not limited to those questions that would elicit information constituting grounds of a challenge for cause. Brown v. State,288 Ala. 684 ,264 So.2d 553 (1972); Arthur v. State,472 So.2d 650 (Ala.Crim.App. 1984); rev'd on other grounds,472 So.2d 665 (Ala. 1985)."
"Define please one [1] intent; two [2] R.E.F. verdict form number four and under number 2(A) murder; (B) — first degree burglary, (3) manslaughter and (4) [blank]."
(Appellant's brief at 58; Appellee's brief at 30.) In response to this request, the trial judge told the parties, outside the hearing of the jury:
"Gentlemen, after due consideration it is the opinion of the Court that the Court's oral charge was adequate and the Court at this time proposes bringing the jury back into court, acknowledging their written request and informing them that the charge in the opinion of the Court was complete and they are to take the Court's oral charge along with the evidence and the testimony and arrive at a proper verdict."
(Appellee's brief at 30.) The trial judge then told the jury:
"The Court feels that the Court's oral charge to you was complete and you are to take the Court's oral charge along with the legal evidence received by you in this case and arrive at a proper verdict."The Court at this time cannot answer your questions and with those instructions the Court will ask you to retire to the jury room to again resume your deliberations."
(Appellant's brief at 59.)
The rule governing additional instructions to a jury is Rule 22.2, Ala.R.Crim.P., which provides:
"After the jurors have retired to consider their verdict, if they request to have any testimony repeated, or if they or any party requests additional instructions, the court may recall the jurors to the courtroom and order the testimony read or give appropriate additional instructions. The court may also order other testimony read or give other instructions, so as not to give undue prominence to the particular testimony or instructions requested. Such testimony may be read or such instructions given only after notice to the parties."
"This rule is permissive, rather than mandatory as evidenced by the use of the word 'may.' " Jackson v. State,
In this case, there is no evidence that the jury was confused to the extent of the jury in Deutcsh. It is entirely possible that the trial court decided that addressing the limited areas of the jury's inquiry would give "undue prominence" to those areas. In this case, we cannot say that the trial court abused its discretion in refusing to reinstruct the jury.
Additionally, in our review of this case on direct appeal, we found no plain error. "A finding of no plain error is one factor to consider when assessing the performance of trial counsel." Hallford, 629 So.2d at 10.
We find no deficient performance by appellant's counsel regarding this issue.
The appellant claims his counsel was ineffective for failing to object to the State's alleged improper attack of his theory of defense. This claim is without merit because the appellant failed to offer any evidence to support it.
The appellant argues that his counsel was ineffective for failing to object to allegedly inflammatory comments by the State. The appellant has included various quotes from the trial record in support of this claim. As stated above, we must review these comments in the context of the entire record.Carroll. The relevant portion of the trial transcript has been reviewed by this court in the context of the entire record and we find this claim to be without merit.
" 'In Grady v. Corbin,
" ' "The Double Jeopardy Clause embodies three protections:" ' " 'It protects against a second prosecution for the same offense after acquittal. It protects against a second prosecution for the same offense after conviction. And it protects against multiple punishments for the same offense.' North Carolina v. Pearce,
395 U.S. 711 ,717 ,89 S.Ct. 2072 ,2076 ,23 L.Ed.2d 656 (1969) (footnotes omitted). The Blockburger [v. United States,284 U.S. 299 ,304 ,52 S.Ct. 180 ,182 ,76 L.Ed. 306 (1932),] test was developed 'in the context of multiple punishments imposed in a single prosecution.' Garrett v. United States,0471 U.S. 773 ,778 ,105 S.Ct. 2407 ,2411 ,85 L.Ed.2d 764 (1985)."
" 'Grady,
In this case, the appellant was not prosecuted for the same offense after having been acquitted or convicted of that offense. He was given one death sentence and can be put to death just once. " '[T]he Double Jeopardy Clause does no more than prevent the sentencing court from prescribing greater punishment than the legislature intended.' Missouri v. Hunter,
The trial court did not prescribe a greater punishment than the legislature intended. If, in this case, one conviction was dropped, as the appellant urges in his brief, the death penalty could still be properly imposed.
The appellant fails to show how he was prejudiced, underStrickland, in this claim.
The appellant argues that his counsel was ineffective for allegedly failing to conduct an adequate investigation in preparation for the sentencing phase of the trial because, he argues, experts and investigators could have provided mitigating evidence. The appellant's counsel testified, during a deposition in preparation for the Rule 32 hearing, as follows:
"Q [State]: Of course, you had a horrible crime, didn't you?"A [counsel]: Yeah. No doubt about it. It was just very, very bad.
"Q: Very strong evidence against your client?
"A: Very strong. As far as factual acts that occurred, in the entry into the home and the events that occurred with [the victim], but I still think that the jury was not informed as to all of the mitigating facts that could have been brought to the attention of the jury by the Defendant, because of my lack of ability to present those experts."Q: Well let me ask you this: Do you think Judge Walden would have followed the jury recommendation, had they recommended a sentence of life without parole?
"A: It's pure speculation, of course. I have no way —
"Q: We've been speculating all morning. Just keep going.
"A: Yeah, I don't think he would have. I think he would come back with the death penalty. He had given it consideration in [Kennedy] and rendered the death penalty. I think he would have come back with the death penalty for Grayson. . . .
". . . .
"A: And I think he would have brought back the death penalty in this case."
(Supp.R. 721-23.)
The trial judge's sentencing order addressed the areas of mitigation that the appellant alleges were not investigated.
" '[I]n a challenge to the imposition of a death sentence, the prejudice prong of the Strickland inquiry focuses on whether "the sentencer . . . would have concluded that the balance of aggravating and mitigating circumstances did not warrant death." '"Stevens v. Zant,
968 F.2d 1076 ,1081 (11th Cir. 1992) (citation omitted), cert. denied,507 U.S. 929 ,113 S.Ct. 1306 ,122 L.Ed.2d 695 (1993).
". . . .
" '. . . [I]t must be determined that defendant suffered actual prejudice due to the ineffectiveness of his trial counsel before relief will be granted.'Daniels v. State,"Middleton v. Dugger,
849 F.2d 491 ,493 (11th Cir. 1988)."
The appellant contends that there was mitigation evidence that could have been uncovered and presented during the sentencing phase "with minimal investigation and no allocation of funds by the court." (Appellant's brief at 90.) He lists, in his brief to this court, some examples of this "undiscovered" *Page 526 evidence. The appellant, however, presents no evidence as to the extent the investigation conducted by his counsel. There is no evidence by which we may measure the reasonableness of the investigation. The only evidence presented concerning the balance of aggravating and mitigating factors is the opinion of the appellant's counsel, above, that the trial judge would have sentenced the appellant to death even if the jury had recommended life without parole. From this evidence, we cannot say that his counsel's performance was deficient.
The appellant argues that he was prejudiced by his counsel's failure to present mitigation evidence. The appellant fails to offer evidence to support this claim and makes only a bare allegation of prejudice.
"Under Strickland, however, a petitioner cannot 'simply allege but must "affirmatively prove" prejudice.' Celestine v. Blackburn,Wilkerson v. Collins,750 F.2d 353 ,356 (5th Cir.) (citation omitted), cert. denied,472 U.S. 1022 ,105 S.Ct. 3490 ,87 L.Ed.2d 624 (1985)."
" 'When an accused contends that a prosecutor has made improper comments . . ., the statements at issue must be viewed in the context of the evidence presented in the case and the entire . . . argument made to the jury.' Ex parte Musgrove,Allen v. State,638 So.2d 1360 (Ala. 1993)."
"This Court has also held that statements of counsel in argument to the jury must be viewed as in the heat of debate, and such statements are usually valued by the jury at their true worth, and are not expected to become factors in the formation of the verdict. Orr v. State,Henderson v. State,462 So.2d 1013 ,1016 (Ala.Cr.App. 1984); Sanders v. State,426 So.2d 497 ,509 (Ala.Cr.App. 1982)."
The appellant claims that the state, during closing arguments at the sentencing phase, trivialized the mitigating factors and argued that these mitigating factors should not influence the jury's decision regarding whether to impose the death penalty.
The appellant has mischaracterized these statements by the state. The statement objected to is: "On the one hand we have the defendant's mitigating circumstances, and these are statutory. That's in the Code book, a given." (Supp.R. 24.) The appellant argues that the state was telling the jurors they could not consider nonstatutory mitigating factors. Considering the argument in its proper context, the State merely pointed out that these factors are statutory. At no time did the state ever tell the jury that it should not consider nonstatutory mitigating factors.
The appellant also contends that the State improperly argued that the mitigating factors shown by the appellant were irrelevant because they did not exonerate the appellant. The pages in the record the appellant cites us to say no such thing. The State's argument was that the existence of mitigating factors, alone, does not exonerate the appellant. This is a correct statement of the law, because mitigating factors are weighed only to determine whether a particular capital murder defendant receives life imprisonment without parole or death. Guilt has already been decided. *Page 527
The state also reminded the jurors of their answers at voir dire concerning their ability to impose the death sentence in spite of the statutory mitigating factors. This reminder was in the context of explaining the balancing of the aggravating and mitigating factors in reaching a verdict and this was not improper argument.
The appellant contends that during its sentencing phase argument the State told the jury that it would not be enforcing the law if it did not impose the death penalty. Examining the comment in the context of the entire argument, we conclude that this contention is erroneous. The State's comment was an appeal for law enforcement based on the aggravating and mitigating factors presented.
" 'In Alabama, the rule is that a district attorney in closing argument may make a general appeal for law enforcement. Embrey v. State,Kuenzel v. State,283 Ala. 110 ,118 ,214 So.2d 567 (1968)." 'This line of argument is "within the latitude allowed prosecutors in their exhortations to the jury to discharge their duties in such a manner as, not only to punish crime, but to protect the public from like offenses and as an example to deter others from committing like offenses." Varner v. State,
418 So.2d 961 (Ala.Cr.App. 1982); Cook v. State,369 So.2d 1243 (Ala.Cr.App. 1977), affirmed in part, reversed in part on other grounds,369 So.2d 1251 (Ala. 1978). . . .' "
The appellant also complains that the State's comment that only the victim — and not the jury — could forgive the appellant rendered this proceeding fundamentally unfair and that his counsel was ineffective for failing to object to this argument.
"The North Carolina Supreme Court recently dealt with a similar issue. The following was included in the prosecutor's closing argument in the sentencing phase:Henderson v. State," 'Jesus says in the Lord's prayer, "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us," but you have no right under the law. And you may forgive trespasses in your personal life, you may forgive those trespasses, but you have no right as a sworn juror in the State of North Carolina to forgive the trespasses against the State of North Carolina. That is to have no part in your deliberations. You cannot forgive the defendant for what he did to Brenda Smith. And your verdict, be it life or be it death, should be no reflection on any sympathy or forgiveness or any religious feelings you have about this case.'
"State v. Price,
326 N.C. 56 ,388 S.E.2d 84 ,101 (1990)."As the court stated, 'the prosecutor was plainly and properly admonishing the jurors that feelings of sympathy and forgiveness rooted in their hearts and not also in the evidence may not be permitted to affect their verdicts.' Price, 388 S.E.2d at 102. The same can be said of the prosecutor's comments in the instant case."
The appellant claims that his counsel was ineffective in failing to object to the State's comment that sentencing the appellant to death would send a message to the community. The appellant, however, mischaracterizes the State's argument. The State's comment is a comment that law enforcement is a deterrent to crime. See Kuenzel v. State, 577 So.2d at 503-04.
The appellant claims that his counsel was ineffective for failing to object to the State's arguing facts not in evidence. It is well settled that counsel is " 'allowed wide latitude in drawing reasonable inferences from the evidence in closing arguments.' Cross v. State,
"The capital offense was committed while the defendant was engaged or was an accomplice in the commission of, or an attempt to commit, or flight after committing, or attempting to commit, rape, robbery, burglary, or kidnapping."
The appellant argues that the trial judge failed to instruct the jury at the sentencing phase on the elements of the aggravating circumstances of rape or kidnapping and that counsel should have objected to his failure to do so. However, there is no error here because neither a rape nor or a kidnapping was an aggravating circumstance.
"In instructing a jury that it may consider the aggravating circumstance or circumstances defined in §Duren v. State,13A-5-49 (4), the trial court should also give the jury the statutory definition of the underlying felony or felonies involved (rape, robbery, burglary, or kidnapping)."
Incredibly, the appellant next argues that it was error to instruct the jury that kidnapping could be an aggravating circumstance because there was no evidence of a kidnapping. This argument is totally without merit. The trial judge, during his sentencing phase instructions, merely read §
The appellant cites Martin v. State,
"To constitute burglary it is essential to prove a breaking into and entering of the house in question. If a door or window be open and entry made through it this is not a breaking."
(Appellant's brief at 115.) However, the appellant omitted the rest of that paragraph from Martin:
"The state is not required to prove the entrance door or window was locked. If entry is made by opening a closed door this is sufficient to show a breaking. Adair v. State,Martin v. State, 210 So.2d at 707. The trial judge, in his sentencing order, found that the appellant and his codefendant had entered the victim's house through a rear basement door.19 Ala. App. 174 ,95 So. 827 ; Cox v. State,33 Ala. App. 395 ,34 So.2d 179 ."
In addition, this court reviewed the record of this case for plain error and found none. Appellate counsel's failure to raise a question of the sufficiency of the evidence to support the underlying offense of burglary does not constitute deficient performance.
Rule 16.1(a)(1), Ala.R.Crim.P., provides that the prosecutor shall
"[p]ermit the defendant to inspect and to copy any written or recorded statements made by the defendant to any law enforcement officer, official, or employee which are within the possession, custody, or control of the state/municipality, the existence of which is known to the prosecutor."
The appellant alleges that the State failed to provide him with the tape-recordings. This, however, is not a duty imposed on the state by Rule 16.1. The State must allow the defendant to inspect and to copy the tape-recordings. See Gwynne v. State,
In addition, the appellant argues that his counsel should have argued on appeal that the admission of transcripts of his recorded statements instead of the actual tape recordings was improper. We have held that an accurate and reliable typewritten transcript is admissible, even over an objection that it violates the best evidence rule. Jackson v. State,
This issue is without merit and counsel was not deficient for failing to raise this issue on appeal.
The following claims are precluded by Rule 32.2(a)(3) and (a)(5), Ala.R.Crim.P., because they could have been, but were not, raised at trial and could have been, but were not, raised on appeal:
1. That the trial court erred in not reinstructing the jury upon request by the jury.
2. That the trial court erred in giving allegedly incomplete instructions to the jury at the sentencing phase of the trial.
3. That the trial court erred in not providing the tape-recording of the appellant's confession to his counsel and in using the transcript of the tape at trial, instead of the tape itself.
4. That the State made allegedly improper comments during voir dire.
5. That the State made allegedly improper and prejudicial arguments at the close of the guilt phase of the appellant's trial.
6. That mitigating circumstances were not considered.
7. That the appellant was denied his right to fair and unbiased sentencing by the judge.
8. That the State's closing argument at the sentencing phase was improper, prejudicial, and inflammatory.
9. That the appellant was subjected to double jeopardy in his conviction on two counts of capital murder.
10. That the appellant was subjected to a psychological examination by an "imposter" psychologist.
11. That the appellant was denied the right to a jury that represented a fair cross-section of the community.
12. That the trial court failed to excuse allegedly biased jurors for cause.
13. That the trial court erred in admitting into evidence gruesome and allegedly prejudicial photographs.
The appellant next claims that the trial court erred in not suppressing statements made to the police and physical evidence seized by the police, all as a result of the appellant's allegedly illegal arrest. The part of the claim regarding the statements is precluded by Rule 32.2(a)(2) and (a)(4), Ala.R.Crim.P., as a claim that was raised or addressed at trial and raised or addressed on appeal. The part of the claim regarding the physical evidence is precluded by Rule 32.2(a)(3) and (a)(5), Ala.R.Crim.P., as a claim that could have been, but was not, raised at trial and could have been, but was not, raised on appeal.
The following issues are precluded by Rule 32.2(a)(2) and (a)(4):
1. The trial court erred in failing to provide the appellant with mental health expert assistance.
2. The appellant's statements should have been suppressed as involuntary.
The appellant also claims that the trial court erred in not providing a forensic pathologist expert to assist in the preparation of this case. This claim is precluded by Rule 32.2(a)(4).
The appellant argues that the trial judge engaged in improper ex parte communications with the state. This issue was addressed in Part III(R) of the opinion and is without merit.
Last, the appellant claims that the trial court, during the pendency of this post-conviction proceeding, erred in ordering that the *Page 531
state's mental health expert could examine the appellant outside the presence of counsel. This very issue was addressed in Ex parte Martin,
"Do the Alabama Rules of Criminal Procedure require that counsel be allowed to be present at [a] post-conviction, post-sentencing psychological examination? We must answer that they do not. Rule 16.2(b) states that it applies 'solely in connection with the particular offense with which the defendant is charged.' (emphasis added [in Martin]) Martin is not presently charged with an offense. He has already been tried and convicted and is pursuing a collateral attack on that conviction.
". . . .
"Martin contends that excluding his counsel from a state-requested psychological examination would violate his federal constitutional right to counsel and other rights guaranteed under the Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution. However, no federal constitutional right to counsel at a post-conviction proceeding has been held to exist. Riles v. McCotter,Martin, 628 So.2d at 422. This claim is without merit.799 F.2d 947 ,954 (5th Cir. 1986); Gholson v. Estelle,675 F.2d 734 ,743 n. 10 (5th Cir. 1982); United States v. Cohen,530 F.2d 43 ,48 (5th Cir.), cert. denied,429 U.S. 855 ,97 S.Ct. 149 ,50 L.Ed.2d 130 (1976); United States v. Albright,388 F.2d 719 ,726 (4th Cir. 1968)."
For the reasons stated above, the trial court's denial of the appellant's post-conviction petition is affirmed.
ORIGINAL OPINION WITHDRAWN; OPINION SUBSTITUTED; RULE 39(k) MOTION DENIED; APPLICATION FOR REHEARING OVERRULED; AFFIRMED.
All the Judges concur.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Darrell B. Grayson v. State.
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