David Shane v. State of Indiana ( 2012 )

Pursuant to Ind.Appellate Rule 65(D),
this Memorandum Decision shall not be
regarded as precedent or cited before
any court except for the purpose of
FILED
Sep 27 2012, 9:22 am
establishing the defense of res judicata,
collateral estoppel, or the law of the case. CLERK
of the supreme court,
court of appeals and
tax court
ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT: ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE:
HILARY BOWE RICKS GREGORY F. ZOELLER
Indianapolis, Indiana Attorney General of Indiana
J.T. WHITEHEAD
Deputy Attorney General
Indianapolis, Indiana
IN THE
COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA
DAVID SHANE, )
)
Appellant-Defendant, )
)
vs. ) No. 68A01-1202-PC-74
)
STATE OF INDIANA, )
)
Appellee-Plaintiff. )
APPEAL FROM THE RANDOLPH CIRCUIT COURT
The Honorable Jay L. Toney, Judge
Cause No. 68C01-0506-PC-43
September 27, 2012
MEMORANDUM DECISION - NOT FOR PUBLICATION
BARNES, Judge
Case Summary
David Shane appeals the denial of his petition for post-conviction relief. We affirm.
Issues
Shane raises two issues, which we restate as:
I. whether he received ineffective assistance of trial
counsel; and
II. whether he received ineffective assistance of appellate
counsel.
Facts
Shane was charged with and found guilty of murder, conspiracy to commit murder,
Class C felony feticide, and Class C felony assisting a criminal. The relevant underlying
facts are:
On the morning of July 28, 1994, a neighbor of Nicole
Koontz found her dead in the living room of her trailer. Koontz
had been dead for several hours from a gunshot wound to the
head, inflicted at close range. She had been shot three times
through a pillow with a .25 caliber gun. As a result of her death,
her 29 week old fetus also died. Two bullet casings and one live
round of ammunition from a .25 caliber handgun were found at
the scene.
A police investigation ensued. Robert Hicks, the
boyfriend of Koontz, and his best friend and business partner,
David Shane, were both questioned during the course of this
investigation. During the initial interviews, Hicks and Shane
recounted almost identical stories. Shane and Hicks had worked
until 2:00 p.m. at a painting job. They returned to Shane’s home
and worked on the yard. They drank beer, smoked pot, took
showers, and eventually left home to go to two bars. They left
the second bar at around 1:00 a.m., went to Taco Bell and
returned home around 1:30 a.m., at which point they ate and
2
went to bed. The next morning, they went to Hardees, and were
on their way to a paint job when Hicks received three pages in a
row from Tammy Hodson. Hicks called Hodson and learned of
Koontz’s death, at which point both men went to Koontz’s
trailer park. During the initial interrogation, Shane at first
denied having a .25 caliber handgun, but quickly retracted,
admitting that he kept a .25 caliber in a brief case in his
Suburban. He claimed the gun had sentimental value, and had
been used for target practice at the residence of Hicks’s parents.
He consented to a search of his truck, in which a .25 caliber
casing was found. A subsequent search of Hicks’s parents’
residence turned up three spent shell casings.
On August 8, Shane returned to the police station and
changed his former statement. At this point, he told the officer
that he had concocted the previous story with Hicks. He now
stated that after Hicks and Shane returned home from Taco Bell,
Hicks left again to go to Koontz’s to have sex.
On May 4, 1995, Shane was again questioned. At this
point, he had been arrested for feticide and murder, and he again
changed his story. This time, he claimed that after arriving
home from Taco Bell at around 11:00 p.m., Shane drove Hicks
to Koontz’s house on a motorcycle. They parked in the back,
and Hicks told Shane to wait for him while he checked to see if
Koontz would have sexual intercourse with him. Shane watched
Hicks go up to the door and go in. He heard nothing inside the
trailer. Hicks came out of the house a couple of minutes later,
acting flustered, and they returned home around 1:30 a.m. The
next morning, on the way to work, Hicks told Shane that
something bad had happened, pulled out a gun, and told Shane
that he had to get rid of it. They drove to a remote country pond
and disposed of the gun.
Shane identified the pond in which the gun had been
thrown. Investigators recovered the gun, and subsequent testing
showed that the bullets and casings from Koontz’s house,
Shane’s car, and Hicks’s parents’ residence were all fired from
this gun. The autopsy revealed that Koontz had probably died in
the early morning of July 28, 1994, several hours before her
body was discovered. An investigation of the crime scene
3
revealed no evidence of robbery, but fresh marks on the door
frame suggested a forced entrance.
Shane and Hicks were childhood friends and owned a
business together. Hicks often lived with Shane and each of
them served as best man in the other’s wedding. Shane and
Hicks spent most of their free time together, and had a close
relationship.
At trial, several witnesses testified about the violent
relationship between Hicks and Koontz. Hicks at one point
became so violent that Koontz was hospitalized. Another time,
Koontz stabbed Hicks in the hand. Several witnesses testified
that Koontz was afraid of Hicks, telling her friends “[i]f I ever
get killed in my living room on my couch [ ] Rob Hicks
probably has something to do with it.” Elizabeth Bentley, a
neighbor, testified that the night before the murder, Koontz
came over to her house to complain about an argument with
Hicks about the baby’s room. Koontz told Bentley that she
became so mad that she had wet her pants.
Jessica Daniels, a close friend of Shane’s, testified as to a
conversation between herself, Shane and Hicks two nights
before the murder. Hicks began to talk of killing Koontz, and
said “yeah, you tell her about it, David.” Shane told Daniels that
Hicks wanted to go and blow “Nickie’s” head off one night, and
wanted Shane to take him there.
Amy Case, Shane’s ex-wife, also testified at Shane’s
trial. Case testified that Shane hated Koontz. She said that she
had overheard a conversation between Hicks and Shane in
which Hicks said he was so mad at Koontz, he wanted her dead,
and Shane responded “it could be done, we could do that.” She
also recounted an overheard conversation between Shane and
Hicks on how to commit the “perfect murder” and get away with
it.
Shane v. State, 716 N.E.2d 391, 394-96 (Ind. 1999). At the conclusion of the May 9, 1997
trial, a jury found Shane guilty as charged. Convictions were entered on each count, and
4
Shane was sentenced to sixty years, with four years suspended, for murder, fifty years, with
four years suspended, for conspiracy to commit murder, eight years, with four years
suspended, for feticide, and four years for assisting a criminal. The trial court ordered the
conspiracy and feticide sentences to be served concurrent to the murder sentence and ordered
the assisting a criminal sentence to be served consecutive to the murder sentence, for a total
executed sentence of sixty years.
Shane filed a direct appeal arguing that there was insufficient evidence to support his
convictions, that the trial court erred in admitting certain evidence, and that his pre-trial jail
time was improperly credited against his sentence. In a 3-2 decision, our supreme court
rejected Shane’s arguments and affirmed his convictions and sentence. See Shane, 716
N.E.2d at 394.
On June 16, 2005, Shane filed a petition for post-conviction relief, which was
amended in 2009. On February 12, 2012, after a hearing, the post-conviction court denied
Shane’s petition. Regarding Shane’s claims of ineffective assistance of trial and appellate
counsel, the trial court found:
14. That at trial, counsel failed to object to final instruction
sixteen, which advised the jury that prior inconsistent statements
could be used to impeach the witness, and also as evidence in
determining the guilt or innocence of the Defendant.
15. That the jury may have been misled, and may have used
prior inconsistent statements as substantive evidence.
16. That there was sufficient other evidence to support the
convictions of the Petitioner (Defendant below), such that the
giving of the inaccurate portion of final instruction sixteen was
harmless error.
5
17. Trial counsel did not make the jury aware that Robert Hicks
was receiving use immunity for his testimony.
18. That Robert Hicks’ testimony essentially laid the foundation
for the admissibility of certain photographs and/or videotapes.
19. That trial counsel made a strategy decision not to raise the
issue of use immunity.
20. The Petitioner was not prejudiced by trial counsel’s strategy
decision not to raise the issue of use immunity.
21. Trial counsel did not argue Lisa Waddell’s testimony
regarding Petitioner’s trucks’ bright lights corroborated a
portion of Petitioner’s statement.
22. Petitioner had never discussed this issue with counsel prior
to the trial.
23. Trial counsel did not attempt to make this point with the
jury, as Waddell’s testimony and Petitioner’s statement did not
necessarily point to the innocence of the Petitioner.
24. There was no testimony by Amy Case in the Hicks trial to
the effect that Hicks had talked about how to commit the perfect
murder, as the Judge prohibited her testimony on the subject;
therefore, trial counsel could not have impeached Amy Case on
this issue.
25. Trial counsel failed to object to some testimony regarding
Hicks’ statements to police.
26. Petitioner believes that Hicks’ statements, although actually
denials of guilt, placed Petitioner with Hicks, providing a link
used by the State to support the conspiracy theory.
27. There was ample evidence other than Hicks’ statements to
show the close relationship between Hicks and the Petitioner,
such that Hicks’ statements were only cumulative as to this fact,
and did no actual harm to Petitioner.
6
28. Appellate counsel failed to argue that the trial court erred
when it permitted testimony, over objection, that the victim was
afraid of Hicks and/or Petitioner prior to her death.
29. That the deceased’s fear of Hicks may have been an
advantage to Petitioner at trial, since the evidence showed that
Hicks was the actual killer.
30. That there was ample evidence to support the convictions,
without evidence regarding decedent’s fear of Hicks and/or the
Petitioner.
App. pp. 39-40. Shane now appeals.
Analysis
“The petitioner in a post-conviction proceeding bears the burden of establishing
grounds for relief by a preponderance of the evidence.” Kubsch v. State, 934 N.E.2d 1138,
1144 (Ind. 2010). Because a petitioner appealing the denial of post-conviction relief is
appealing from a negative judgment, to prevail on appeal, the petitioner must show that the
evidence as a whole leads unerringly and unmistakably to a conclusion opposite that reached
by the post-conviction court. Id. Further, although we do not defer to a post-conviction
court’s legal conclusions, the court’s findings and judgment will be reversed only upon a
showing of clear error—that which leaves us with a definite and firm conviction that a
mistake has been made. Id.I. Ineffective Assistance of Trial Counsel
“To establish a post-conviction claim alleging the violation of the Sixth Amendment
right to effective assistance of counsel, a defendant must establish before the post-conviction
court the two components set forth in Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 104 S. Ct.
7
2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984).” Id. at 1147. First, a defendant must show that counsel’s
performance was deficient by establishing that counsel’s representation fell below an
objective standard of reasonableness and that “‘counsel made errors so serious that counsel
was not functioning as ‘counsel’ guaranteed to the defendant by the Sixth Amendment.’” Id.
(quoting Strickland, 466 U.S. at 687, 104 S. Ct. at 2064). A defendant must also show that
the deficient performance prejudiced the defense by establishing there is a reasonable
probability that, but for counsel’s unprofessional errors, the result of the proceeding would
have been different. Id. “Further, counsel’s performance is presumed effective, and a
defendant must offer strong and convincing evidence to overcome this presumption.” Id.A. Jury Instruction
Shane argues that trial counsel did not object to Final Instruction No. 16, which he
asserts was an incorrect statement of the law because it permitted the jury to consider prior
inconsistent statements and as substantive evidence. Specifically, the instruction provided:
Prior inconsistent statements are defined as statements
made by the witness out of Court which differ from his
testimony during this trial. Prior inconsistent statements may be
considered by you for two purposes. You may use them to
impeach the capacity for truthfulness of the witness who made
the inconsistent statements. You may also consider the out-of-
court statements as evidence in determining the guilt or
innocence of the crime charged.
R. p. 190. Shane argues that, after Modesitt v. State, 578 N.E.2d 649 (Ind. 1991), “prior
inconsistent statements could only be used for impeachment.” Appellant’s Br. p. 13.
8
The State agrees that in Modesitt our supreme court overturned the long-established
rule that prior inconsistent statements could be used for impeachment and as substantive
evidence. Modesitt, 578 N.E.2d at 652 (overruling Patterson v. State, 263 Ind. 55, 324
N.E.2d 482 (1975)). The State argues, however, that Modesitt permitted the use of prior
statements as substantive evidence “if the declarant testifies at trial and is subject to cross
examination concerning the statement, and the statement is (a) inconsistent with the
declarant’s testimony, and was given under oath subject to the penalty of perjury at a trial,
hearing, or other proceeding, or in a deposition . . . .” Id. at 653-54. In 1994, after Modesitt
was decided, the Indiana Rules of Evidence were adopted, and Indiana Evidence Rule
801(d)(1)(A) accomplished “by Rule what Modesitt did by decision.” Humphrey v. State,
680 N.E.2d 836, 839 (Ind. 1997).
Shane does not acknowledge this exception announced in Modesitt or Indiana
Evidence Rule 801(d)(1)(A). Instead, he asserts that trial counsel had a duty to know the
relevant law and apply it to the case.1 Even if trial counsel was not aware that Patterson had
been overruled, we are not convinced that Shane was prejudiced by the instruction.
Shane’s prejudice argument is based on the testimony of Jessica Daniel. At trial,
Daniel testified that she and Shane were close friends and that she was with Shane and Hicks
two days before the murder. Daniel testified that Hicks brought up the subject of killing
1
Shane does not make any argument regarding whether an objection to this jury instruction would have been
sustained. See Baer v. State, 942 N.E.2d 80, 97 (Ind. 2011) (observing that a post-conviction court’s decision
regarding ineffective assistance for failure to object to instructions will be reversed only if the appellant can
show that the trial court was compelled as a matter of law to sustain the objection). However, because the post-
conviction court found the failure to object may have misled the jury, resulting in the use of the prior
inconsistent statement as substantive evidence, we resolve this argument on the prejudice prong of Strickland.
9
Koontz, that Hicks “wanted to go and blow Nickie’s f***ing head off one night[,]” and that
Hicks wanted Shane to take him there. R. p. 585. On cross-examination, Daniel testified that
Shane’s reaction was to shake his head like it was crazy. On redirect, the prosecutor asked
Daniel if she testified before the grand jury that Shane was the one who made the statement
about wanting to kill Koontz. Daniel stated that she could not remember. The prosecutor
then questioned Daniel about her testimony at Hicks’s trial indicating that she could not
remember if Shane actually made the statement. Daniel explained that it was during Hicks’s
trial that she remembered who made the statement. The prosecutor then asked, “So what you
are saying now is that you might have told the grand jury that [Shane] made the statement but
at the Hicks trial when you saw [Hicks] you remembered that it was [Hicks] that made the
statement.” Id. at 588-89. Daniel replied, “I am saying that I don’t remember what I told in
the grand jury. I don’t remember what I said. I do remember what I said in the Hicks trial
and I know who made the statement that day, June whatever, it was [Hicks].” Id.
According to Shane, under the erroneous instruction, the jury could have considered
Daniel’s “original version” as substantive proof of Shane’s desire that the victim be killed,
affecting its consideration of whether Shane knowingly participated in Koontz’s death.
Appellant’s Br. p. 14. This argument fails for two reasons. First, it is not clear from the
evidence before us that Daniel actually told the grand jury that Shane made the statement.
What is clear is that Daniel did not remember what she told the grand jury and that at Hicks’s
trial she remembered that Hicks had made the statement. Further, to the extent the
prosecutor’s questions could be construed as establishing that Daniel made an inconsistent
10
statement during her grand jury testimony, such a statement appears to fall within the
Modesitt exception because Daniel testified at trial and was subject to cross-examination
concerning her grand jury testimony, which was given under oath subject to the penalty of
perjury.2
Shane does not direct us to any other testimony to which the instruction could have
applied. Thus, even if trial counsel’s failure to object to the instruction fell below an
objective standard of reasonableness, Shane has not established a reasonable probability that
the result of the proceeding would have been different had the jury been properly instructed
regarding the use of prior inconsistent statements as substantive evidence. The post-
conviction court properly rejected this claim for relief.
B. Use Immunity
Shane argues that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to inform the jury that Hicks
had been given use immunity for his trial testimony. At trial, Hicks’s testimony was used to
lay the foundation for the admission of photographs and a videotape of Hicks and Shane
together at a party in August 1994, and at Hicks’s wedding in February 1995, after Koontz’s
death. Although Shane acknowledges that Hicks did not say that Shane committed the crime,
he asserts that the implication that Hicks was choosing to help the State would have affected
the way the jury viewed the evidence. According to Shane, “[w]hile there probably was no
benefit to Hicks by testifying, if he refused to after being granted immunity the Court could
2
Shane’s argument only refers to Daniel’s prior inconsistent statement from her grand jury testimony. He
makes no argument that either he or Hicks should be considered the declarant under the Modesitt analysis.
11
have found him in contempt and punished him with additional prison time.” Appellant’s Br.
p. 15.
At the post-conviction relief hearing, trial counsel was questioned about whether a
jury should be made aware that a witness has received use immunity. Trial counsel stated,
“use immunity is really nothing. I don’t think the witness gains or loses anything by use
immunity. So I don’t know. It would just depend on what the situation was.” Tr. p. 8.
“Counsel is afforded considerable discretion in choosing strategy and tactics, and we will
accord those decisions deference.” Timberlake v. State, 753 N.E.2d 591, 603 (Ind. 2001),
cert. denied. “A strong presumption arises that counsel rendered adequate assistance and
made all significant decisions in the exercise of reasonable professional judgment.” Id.In this context, where Hicks’s testimony did not implicate Shane in the commission of
the crime and was used only to lay the foundation for the admission of photographic evidence
of the two men together socially after the murder, the failure to inform the jury of the grant of
use immunity was a reasonable strategic decision by trial counsel. Cf. J.J. v. State, 858
N.E.2d 244, 251 (Ind. Ct. App. 2006) (“Although there may be strategic reasons to not reveal
to the jury that D.S. had been given use immunity, trial counsel testified at the post-
conviction hearing that he had no strategic reason for not informing the jury of the use
immunity and recognized it would be a good defense strategy to inform the jury.”). The post-
conviction court properly rejected this basis for relief.
C. Lisa Waddell’s Testimony
12
Lisa Waddell testified that she was jogging in the mobile home park where Shane
lived from 11:30 p.m. until midnight on the night Koontz was killed. She testified that
between 11:45 p.m. and 11:55 p.m. she saw a silver or gray Suburban enter the mobile home
park, that she “got brighted” by the Suburban as it approached, and that the Suburban was
parked at Shane’s mobile home on a daily basis. R. p. 558. Shane argues that this testimony
corroborated his statement to the police that one of the headlights on the Suburban was out
and that trial counsel failed to use this testimony to adequately rebut the State’s argument that
Shane drove the motorcycle to Koontz’s trailer that night because it was less noticeable than
the Suburban.
Shane recognizes that trial counsel did make an argument about the headlight being
out. But, according to Shane, trial counsel should have more thoroughly argued that they
took the motorcycle to Koontz’s that night because driving the Suburban with either a
headlight out or the brights on was an invitation to be pulled over or arrested or for the
Suburban to be impounded. Shane, however, does not direct us to any testimony by Waddell
that the Suburban’s brights were on because a headlight was out, and our review of the
record does not indicate any such testimony by Waddell. In fact, she testified that she
thought they might have “brighted” her because they did not see her and thought she was an
animal or a kid. Id. at 558. Based on the limited nature of Waddell’s testimony, Shane has
not established that trial counsel’s performance fell below an objective standard of
reasonableness as it related to using Waddell’s testimony to corroborate Shane’s statement to
police. The post-conviction court properly denied this claim.
13
D. Amy Case’s Testimony
At trial, Amy Case testified about a conversation in which Hicks and Shane discussed
committing the “perfect murder.” Id. at 746. Shane argues that trial counsel was ineffective
for failing to impeach Case with “available evidence,” which suggested that it was Hicks
who stated he knew how to commit the perfect murder. Appellant’s Br. p. 18. In support of
this argument, Shane relies on a portion of Hicks’s trial transcript in which Case was
questioned about this conversation. The prosecutor asked Case, “What, if anything, did you
hear the Defendant say about that incident . . . .” Ex. Vol. III p. 717. Hicks’s attorney
objected, and the prosecutor made an offer of proof asserting that Case would testify that “he
says ‘he knows how to do a murder and get away with it.’” Id. at 718.
Shane directs us to no authority supporting the proposition that an attorney’s summary
offer of proof can be used as a prior inconsistent statement to impeach a witness’s subsequent
testimony. Without such authority, Shane has not established that trial counsel’s failure to
impeach Case based on her anticipated testimony from another proceeding fell below an
objective level of reasonableness. The post-conviction properly concluded that trial counsel
could not have impeached Case on this issue.
E. Hicks’s Statements to Police
At trial, Indiana State Police Detective Brian Buroker testified regarding his interview
with Hicks the day after Koontz’s death. Detective Buroker testified that Hicks told police
that he was with Shane at the time of the murder. Shane argues that trial counsel should have
objected to this testimony on Sixth Amendment grounds because “Hicks’ statements included
14
reference to Shane and were used against him at trial . . . .” Appellant’s Br. p. 18. Even if
trial counsel should have objected and such an objection would have been sustained, Shane
has not established that he was prejudiced by this evidence.
Shane asserts that this testimony indicated that Shane and Hicks had conspired to
create an alibi and tied Shane in as a knowing and willing participant in the murder.
However, there was extensive testimony regarding Shane’s statements to police in which
Shane consistently indicated he was with Hicks that night. Eventually, Shane even admitted
he drove Hicks to and from Koontz’s trailer that night. Moreover, Shane’s own statements to
police clearly demonstrated that the men agreed to be alibis for each other. Detective
Buroker testified that, after Shane was indicted, Shane told Detective Buroker that he and
Hicks discussed what their alibi would be and that they had a conversation about not telling
police Hicks had left and gone to Koontz’s trailer. See R. p. 648. Thus, the fact that
Detective Buroker relayed statements in which Hicks used Shane as an alibi was merely
cumulative of other evidence that they had agreed to be each other’s alibis. Shane has not
shown that he was prejudiced by trial counsel’s failure to object to Hicks’s statement to
police on confrontation grounds. The post-conviction court properly rejected the argument.
F. Cumulative Effect
Shane argues that, although the claimed errors may not have prejudiced him
individually, the cumulative effect of the errors denied him a fair trial. In support of this
argument, Shane focuses on some of the evidence considered by our supreme court on direct
appeal to affirm Shane’s murder, conspiracy, and feticide convictions and asserts that,
15
without this evidence, he would have been acquitted. This argument is unavailing because
most of Shane’s claims of deficient performance are not well taken and the two claims that
we did resolve on the prejudice prong of the Strickland analysis—the jury instruction issue
and the confrontation issue—are minor when taken in context. Grinstead v. State, 845
N.E.2d 1027, 1037 (Ind. 2006) (“Most of Grinstead’s contentions of deficient performance
are not well taken, and the modest nature of counsel’s one or two failings make them
insufficient to overcome the strong presumption that counsel performed adequately within
the meaning of the Sixth Amendment.”).3 This claim is unavailing.
II. Ineffective Assistance of Appellate Counsel
Shane argues that appellate counsel should have challenged the admission of evidence
that Koontz was afraid of Shane and/or Hicks before she died. Appellant’s Br. p. 22. The
standard for gauging appellate counsel’s performance is the same as that for trial counsel;
therefore, to prevail on an ineffective assistance of counsel claim, Shane must show both
deficient performance and resulting prejudice. See Pruitt v. State, 903 N.E.2d 899, 928 (Ind.
2009). “Ineffective assistance of appellate counsel claims fall into three categories: (1)
denial of access to an appeal; (2) waiver of issues; and (3) failure to present issues well.”
Carter v. State, 929 N.E.2d 1276, 1278 (Ind. 2010). Shane’s claim involves waiver for
appellate counsel’s failure to raise issues on direct appeal.
3
Shane summarily asserts that trial counsel entirely failed to subject the prosecution’s case to meaningful
adversarial testing, depriving him of his Sixth Amendment right to counsel. See United States v. Cronic, 466
U.S. 648, 659, 104 S. Ct. 2039, 2047 (1984). We summarily reject this assertion. See Ind. Appellate Rule
46(A)(8)(a) (explaining that an argument must contain the contentions of the appellant supported by cogent
reasoning).
16
Ineffectiveness is rarely found in such cases. Bieghler v. State, 690 N.E.2d 188, 193
(Ind. 1997), cert. denied. “[W]hen assessing these types of ineffectiveness claims, reviewing
courts should be particularly deferential to counsel’s strategic decision to exclude certain
issues in favor of others, unless such a decision was unquestionably unreasonable.” Id. at
194. In assessing counsel’s performance, we look to see whether any unraised issues were
significant and obvious upon the face of the record and, if so, whether any such issues were
clearly stronger than the issue or issues appellate counsel decided to raise on direct appeal.
Id. “For purposes of ineffective assistance of appellate counsel claims, we judge the
reasonableness of appellate counsel’s strategic decisions based upon precedent that was
available at the time the brief was filed.” Williamson v. State, 798 N.E.2d 450, 454 (Ind. Ct.
App. 2003), trans. denied. If this analysis establishes deficient performance on counsel’s
part, we then analyze whether the issue or issues that counsel failed to raise clearly would
have been more likely to result in reversal or a new trial than the issue or issues that counsel
actually raised. Id. The ultimate issue under the prejudice prong is whether, but for
counsel’s error or errors, there is a reasonable probability that the outcome of the defendant’s
direct appeal would have been different. Id.Shane directs us to the testimony of Eva Koontz, Koontz’s mother, who testified that
Koontz thought Hicks and Shane “were trying to get her”4 and asserts that the trial court erred
4
Two of the three citations to the Record cited by Shane are arguments by counsel. The only testimony to
which Shane specifically cites is Eva’s testimony. We, therefore, limit our analysis to this testimony. It is
worth noting, however, that the other evidence of Koontz’s fear of Hicks actually supported Shane’s theory
that Hicks, not Shane, killed Koontz.
17
in admitting evidence of Koontz’s state of mind, over his objection.5 R. p. 357. In support of
this argument, Shane cites Camm v. State, 812 N.E.2d 1127, 1139 (Ind. Ct. App. 2004),
trans. denied. In Camm, we observed, “[e]vidence of a victim’s state of mind is relevant and
admissible ‘(1) to show the intent of the victim to act in a particular way, (2) when the
defendant puts the victim’s state of mind in issue, and (3) sometimes to explain physical
injuries suffered by the victim.’” Camm, 812 N.E.2d at 1139 (quoting Hatcher v. State, 735
N.E.2d 1155, 1161 (Ind. 2000) (emphasis added in Camm)). Shane then points out that, in
Hatcher, our supreme court observed, “[a]lthough the nature of the relationship may be
relevant to show motive, we recently observed that motive does not constitute an exception to
the hearsay rule.” Hatcher, 735 N.E.2d at 1161(citing Willey v. State, 712 N.E.2d 434, 443
(Ind. 1999)).
Shane does not provide any specific analysis of these factors, nor does he cite
authority that existed at the time his appellate brief was filed in February 1998. As such,
Shane has not shown that this unraised issue was significant and obvious upon the face of the
record based upon precedent that was available at the time the brief was filed. See Bieghler,
690 N.E.2d at 194; Williamson, 798 N.E.2d at 454. Thus, Shane has not established that
appellate counsel’s performance was deficient.
5
It is not entirely clear that Shane objected to Eva’s testimony on this basis. We will assume, however, that
the issue was properly preserved.
18
Even if he had made such a showing, he provides no argument regarding whether this
issue would have been more likely to result in reversal or a new trial than the issue or issues
that counsel actually raised. Instead, Shane summarily argues, “[c]ounsel was ineffective for
failing to include this issue in the direct appeal because the convictions would have been
overturned if it had been; a new trial is therefore the appropriate remedy herein.” Appellant’s
Br. p. 23. In the absence of such argument, Shane has not established that post-conviction
court improperly rejected this claim.
Conclusion
Shane has not established that the post-conviction court improperly denied his
petition. We affirm.
Affirmed.
VAIDIK, J., and MATHIAS, J., concur.
19