United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
2d 1534
Thomas B. McCoun, III, Louderback & McCoun, St. Petersburg, Fla., for
petitioner.
Charles Corces, Jr., Asst. Atty. Gen., Tampa, Fla., for respondents.
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Middle District of
Florida.
Before FAY and KRAVITCH, Circuit Judges, and YOUNG, * District
Judge.
FAY, Circuit Judge:
The evidence upon which Antone was convicted and sentenced showed that
petitioner arranged the contract murder of Richard Cloud, a former City of
Tampa Police Detective. Antone provided the murder gun, test fired it into a
couch in his home, specially equipped it, and disposed of the gun after the
murder. Antone also paid $1,500 "front money" before the murder and between
$7,000 and $8,000 after the murder.
Petitioner then filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus in the United States
District Court for the Middle District of Florida. The district court denied the
petition but granted a stay of execution pending appeal. We remanded the case
back to the district court requesting more complete findings of fact and
conclusions of law. The district court entered its Memorandum of Decision on
February 18, 1982.2
During the penalty phase of Antone's trial, the state trial judge, without
objection from either party, instructed the jury on aggravating factors, and then
stated "the mitigating factors which you may consider are these ...." and listed
the seven mitigating factors enumerated by Fla.Stat. Section 921.141 (1975).3
Petitioner now argues that this instruction impliedly limited the jury's
consideration of mitigating circumstances in contravention of Lockett v. Ohio,
438 U.S. 586, 98 S.Ct. 2954, 57 L.Ed.2d 973 (1978). Relying on Washington v.
Watkins, 655 F.2d 1346 (5th Cir.1981), cert. denied, 456 U.S. 949, 102 S.Ct.
2021, 72 L.Ed.2d 474 (1982), petitioner contends that the jury was effectively
precluded from consideration of any non-statutory mitigating factors.
Antone did not object to the jury instruction at trial or on direct appeal. Florida
Rules of Criminal Procedure, Rule 3.390(d) (1973) specifically provided that
jury instructions must be objected to before the jury retires to consider its
verdict. The state therefore argues that Antone is in procedural default and that
federal court consideration of the jury instruction in a habeas corpus proceeding
is barred by Wainwright v. Sykes, 433 U.S. 72, 97 S.Ct. 2497, 53 L.Ed.2d 594
(1977). In Sykes, the United States Supreme Court held that a state prisoner
must demonstrate "cause and prejudice" in order to advance in a federal habeas
corpus proceeding a claim barred from consideration by a valid state procedural
rule. The Supreme Court recently reaffirmed this principle in Engle v. Isaac,
456 U.S. 107, 102 S.Ct. 1558, 71 L.Ed.2d 783 (1982), stating that "any prisoner
bringing a constitutional claim to the federal courthouse after state procedural
default must demonstrate cause and actual prejudice before obtaining relief."
456 U.S. at 129, 102 S.Ct. at 1572.
Antone argues that he was excused from objecting at trial because the law at
that time indicated that only statutory mitigating circumstances could be
considered and Lockett v. Ohio was two years away. Antone's argument that
counsel could not reasonably be expected to anticipate the problems of Lockett
is undermined by trial counsel's motion to dismiss the indictment which
addressed the mitigating factors argument.4 Further, the "futility of presenting
an objection to the state courts cannot alone constitute cause for failure to
object at trial." Engle v. Isaac, 456 U.S. at 130, 102 S.Ct. at 1572.
Apart from the question of cause, petitioner must also make a showing of
prejudice. Prior to Wainwright v. Sykes, the Supreme Court stated that
judgment is even greater than the showing required to establish plain error on direct
appeal. The question in such a collateral proceeding is "whether the ailing instruction
by itself so infected the entire trial that the resulting conviction violates due
process," not merely whether "the instruction is undesirable, erroneous, or even
'universally condemned.' "
11
Henderson v. Kibbe, 431 U.S. 145, 97 S.Ct. 1730, 52 L.Ed.2d 203 (1977).5
(citations omitted). In making such a determination, the entire charge to the jury
must be examined to determine whether the issues and law presented to the jury
were adequate. Davis v. McAllister, 631 F.2d 1256, 1260 (5th Cir.1980), cert.
denied, 452 U.S. 907, 101 S.Ct. 3035, 69 L.Ed.2d 409 (1981).
12
Antone has not established that the jury perceived that in deciding whether to
recommend death it was denied consideration of any nonstatutory mitigating
factors. On this appeal, Antone advances two nonstatutory mitigating factors
which could have been considered by the jury: disparity of sentences between
the codefendants and the effects of brain surgery upon the defendant.
Petitioner's counsel did argue to the jury the "justice" of one codefendant plea
bargaining for a thirty-five year sentence and another defendant, petitioner,
being sentenced to death. There was nothing in the jury instructions that
precluded the jury from considering this fact. As to the brain surgery, Lockett
concerns any factor that "the defendant proffers as a basis for a sentence less
than death." 438 U.S. at 604, 98 S.Ct. at 2965. Brain surgery was not proffered
at trial,6 but even if it had been, the jury would not have been precluded from
considering it by the court's instructions.7
13
Antone has not shown that the jury was denied the use of any nonstatutory
mitigating factors in deciding to recommend the death penalty and thus the
actual prejudice test is not met. Further, Antone has not advanced sufficient
cause for the failure to object to the instructions at trial. Therefore, Wainwright
v. Sykes bars our consideration of the merits of Antone's claim concerning the
jury instruction on mitigating factors.
B. DISPARITY IN SENTENCING
14
15
Antone relates that of the four persons shown to have been involved with the
murder of Richard Cloud only one, petitioner, received the death penalty.8
Based on this, Antone contends that the Florida death penalty statute is
unconstitutional as applied in this case.
In adopting the jury's recommendation of death, the trial court found that
15
petitioner was "the most major and by far the dominant participant, the master
criminal mind and mover of the entire plan and sorted [sic] act." (R. State
Proceedings, Vol. VII at 928.) On direct appeal, the Florida Supreme Court
found that petitioner was "the mastermind of this operation. He supplied the
gun, paid the money from his pocket, and pressured Haskew to complete the
task. His participation cannot, under any view of this record, be termed minor.
Without Antone's participation, the murder would not have come to fruition."
Antone v. State, 382 So.2d 1205, 1216 (Fla.1980).
16
It is not the role of the federal courts in Section 2254 proceedings to retry the
circumstances contributing to the state's imposition of the death penalty.
Spinkellink v. Wainwright, 578 F.2d 582, 605 (5th Cir.1978). Only if a
petitioner can show "that the facts of his case are so clearly undeserving of
capital punishment that to impose it would be patently unjust and would shock
the conscience" might federal court intervention be warranted. Id. at 606 n. 28.
Petitioner Antone has made no such showing.
17
18
Antone contends that the heinous, atrocious and cruel aggravating factor is, as
now construed, unconstitutionally vague and overbroad. The state trial judge
found that the murder of Richard Cloud was "particularly a heinous, cruel and
vicious crime," (R. State Proceedings, Vol. VII at 927), but did not elaborate.
On appeal, the Florida Supreme Court stated that there "may be a question" as
to whether heinous, atrocious and cruel was an appropriate aggravating
circumstance in petitioner's case. Antone v. State, 382 So.2d 1205, 1216
(Fla.1980). The court, however, concluded that because it approved of the other
three aggravating circumstances found by the trial judge and of the fact that the
trial judge found no mitigating factors, "an error in finding this aggravating
circumstance does not invalidate the imposition of the death sentence." Id. at
1216.
19
Antone does not present a situation controlled by Stephens v. Zant, 631 F.2d
397 (5th Cir.1980), reh. denied and modified, 648 F.2d 446 (5th Cir.1981),
certified to the Supreme Court of Georgia, 456 U.S. 410, 102 S.Ct. 1856, 72
L.Ed.2d 222 (1982). In Stephens, the state supreme court ruled that one of the
aggravating circumstances presented to the jury was unconstitutionally vague.
In Antone, the Florida Supreme Court intimated that the facts of Antone's case
might not be encompassed by the judicial interpretation of the statutory
aggravating circumstance. We have recently considered the effect of the Florida
Supreme Court's invalidation on non-constitutional grounds of one of several
Antone formerly joined with 122 other Florida death row inmates in filing an
applicable for extraordinary relief and petition for habeas corpus in the Florida
Supreme Court. The petitioners challenged the Florida Supreme Court's
practice of receiving nonrecord information in connection with the review of
capital cases. The Florida Supreme Court dismissed the petition. Brown v.
Wainwright, 392 So.2d 1327 (Fla.1981), cert. denied, 454 U.S. 1000, 102 S.Ct.
542, 70 L.Ed.2d 407 (1981).
21
Antone again raises the issue of the Florida Supreme Court's practice of
receiving nonrecord information in reviewing capital cases. The Eleventh
Circuit en banc has recently held that the Florida Supreme Court's statement in
Brown that nonrecord information did not affect the judgment of the reviewing
judges "ends the matter when addressed at the constitutional level." Ford v.
Strickland, 696 F.2d at 811. Antone's claim is therefore foreclosed by Ford.
Petitioner contends that the failure of the state to disclose the existence of a
witness, Robert Bruns, and his statements violated Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S.
83, 83 S.Ct. 1194, 10 L.Ed.2d 215 (1963) and United States v. Agurs, 427 U.S.
97, 96 S.Ct. 2392, 49 L.Ed.2d 342 (1976). Petitioner initially presented this
issue to the state court in motions for post conviction relief under Florida Rules
of Criminal Procedure, Rule 3.850. The state trial judge held a hearing and
denied the motions. On appeal to the Florida Supreme Court, the court stated,
"the ruling of the trial judge is supported by the evidence, and we find that
there was no actual suppression of favorable evidence by the state." Antone v.
State, 410 So.2d 157, 162 (Fla.1982). The court further noted that while the
failure to disclose the name of Bruns may have violated a state rule of criminal
discovery, this failure did not prejudice the defendant. Id. at 162.
23
When presented with the Brady issue in Antone's petition for habeas corpus,
the district court found that petitioner could not overcome the presumption of
correctness set forth in 28 U.S.C. Section 2254(d). No argument was advanced
that any of the first seven exceptions applied and the district court found that
the record fairly supported the state trial judge's decision in accordance with 28
U.S.C. Section 2254(d)(8). On appeal, Antone argues that he was never granted
a full and fair hearing in state court, that the conclusions of the state court were
not fairly supported by the record and that the state court's conclusions were
both legal and factual. Antone received a full and fair hearing in state court and
the record fairly supports the state judge's decision. The state courts found that
there was no suppression of evidence by the prosecution. This finding
concludes the issue under 28 U.S.C. Section 2254(d) and Sumner v. Mata, 449
U.S. 539, 101 S.Ct. 764, 66 L.Ed.2d 722 (1981).
25
27
On appeal, petitioner does not seriously dispute the district court's conclusion
that the jury selection did not violate Witherspoon v. Illinois, 391 U.S. 510; 88
S.Ct. 1770, 20 L.Ed.2d 776 (1968). However, petitioner does contend that the
prosecutor is not permitted to peremptorily challenge a prospective juror on the
basis that the juror has voiced some scruples against imposing the death penalty
but who cannot be excused for cause under Witherspoon. In petitioner's trial,
this situation applies to a single juror, Mr. Delgado. As the district court noted,
"Mr. Delgado stated during voir dire that he knew the petitioner and had lived
only three blocks away from him for a number of years." We agree with the
district court that there was certainly a separate and sufficient reason for the
state to exercise a peremptory challenge against Mr. Delgado. Thus, the
petitioner's legal argument is not supported by the facts of his case and its
merits need not be considered.
The petitioner was arrested in his home without an arrest warrant prior to his
trial in 1976. In 1980, the United States Supreme Court held that the Fourth
Amendment "prohibits the police from making a warrantless and
nonconsensual entry into a suspect's home in order to make a routine felony
arrest." Payton v. New York, 445 U.S. 573, 576, 100 S.Ct. 1371, 1375, 63
L.Ed.2d 639 (1980). In United States v. Johnson, 457 U.S. 537, 102 S.Ct. 2579,
73 L.Ed.2d 202 (1982), the Supreme Court held that Payton is to be applied
retroactively to all convictions that were not yet final at the time the decision
was rendered.9 The Court did not address the retroactive reach of Payton to
those cases which may still raise Fourth Amendment issues on collateral attack,
noting "After Stone v. Powell, 428 U.S. 465, 96 S.Ct. 3037, 49 L.Ed.2d 1067
(1976), the only cases raising challenges on collateral attack are those federal
habeas cases in which the state has failed to provide a state prisoner with an
opportunity for full and fair litigation of his claims." 457 U.S. 537, 562, n. 20,
102 S.Ct. 2579, 2594, n. 20. The district court correctly found that the state
provided the petitioner with a full and fair opportunity to litigate his claim in
the state courts and consequently the federal courts are precluded from
considering the claim on a petition for writ of habeas corpus under Stone v.
Powell.
29
Having considered each of the petitioner's claims and finding each of them to be
without merit, the denial of habeas corpus relief under 28 U.S.C. Section 2254
is AFFIRMED.
KRAVITCH, Circuit Judge, concurring specially:
30
In my view the majority opinion fails to explore adequately the relevant facts of
the case and to provide sufficient, reasoned analysis of the claims presented.
Because of this concern I write separately on several issues to record my
reasons for concurring in the judgment, but not the opinion of the majority.
33
34
35
U.S. 586, 605, 98 S.Ct. 2954, 2965, 57 L.Ed.2d 973 (1978). In Lockett the
Supreme Court held that a sentencer must not be precluded from considering as
a mitigating factor any evidence of the defendant's character or record or the
circumstances of the offense. Lockett v. Ohio, 438 U.S. at 604-05, 98 S.Ct. at
2964-65. If any relevant mitigating evidence proffered by the defendant is
precluded by erroneous instructions, therefore, an eighth amendment violation
is presented and provides a basis for habeas relief. Consequently, the majority's
"infected the entire trial" due process analysis, relying on Henderson v. Kibbe,
is irrelevant, unnecessary, and improper.2
36
Having quoted the Henderson v. Kibbe standard, the majority proceeds to apply
a different test, one that examines the merits of the Lockett claim, and
concludes that "[t]here was nothing in the jury instructions that precluded the
jury from considering [evidence proffered in mitigation]." Maj. Op. at 1538. I
disagree with the rationale of determining prejudice by reference to the merits
of appellant's claim, see note 3 infra, and while the majority of this panel
cannot be faulted for applying the reasoning of Ford v. Strickland, I differ with
the majority's analysis of "prejudice" here.3 Because, for purposes of analyzing
cause and prejudice only, I believe we must assume the violation occurred, see
note 3 supra, the only relevant inquiry in analyzing "prejudice" under the cause
and prejudice standard when the allegation is a Lockett violation, is whether
any nonstatutory, allegedly mitigating evidence was proffered at trial and, if so,
whether that evidence was of a type, consideration of which the Supreme Court
held in Lockett must not be precluded, i.e. was the evidence relevant to
defendant's character, his record or the circumstances of the offense. Lockett v.
Ohio, 438 U.S. at 605, 98 S.Ct. at 2965.
37
38
Because, however, I agree that there is no cause for the default, I concur in the
judgment of the majority that we may not consider the merits of Antone's
Lockett claim.
Antone next raises a Brady issue. Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83, 83 S.Ct.
1194, 10 L.Ed.2d 215 (1963). In relation thereto he argues that the state court's
factual findings deserve minimal deference because "he was never granted a
full and fair hearing in state court, that the conclusions of the state court were
not fairly supported by the record and that the state court's conclusions were
both legal and factual." Maj. Op. at 1540. The sum total of the majority's
treatment of the Brady issue is that "Antone received a full and fair hearing in
state court and the record fairly supports the state judge's decision." Id.
41
42
In denying Antone's Brady claim, the state courts and the federal habeas court
relied on the factual finding that the state prosecutors "did not have knowledge
of Gilford's statement to Bruns regarding Antone's ignorance of Cloud's murder
until after it occurred and his after-the-fact participation in paying the money."
Antone v. State, 410 So.2d at 162. See also Maj. Op. at 1539. No one denies
that, regardless of whether the state had knowledge of the substance of Bruns'
potential testimony, the state did have Bruns' name in its files, Antone v. State,
410 So.2d at 162, as Bruns was the one who gave police their first lead as to
who perpetrated the murder. Indeed, the state courts ruled that failure to
disclose Bruns' name violated Fla.R.Crim.P. 3.220 which requires the
prosecutor "to disclose to defense counsel the names and addresses of all
persons known to the prosecutor to have 'information which may be relevant to
the offense charged, and to any defense with respect thereto.' " Antone v. State,
410 So.2d at 162, quoting Rule 3.220. Under my reading of Brady and its
progeny, see United States v. Agurs, 427 U.S. 97, 96 S.Ct. 2392, 49 L.Ed.2d
342 (1976); Giles v. Maryland, 386 U.S. 66, 87 S.Ct. 793, 17 L.Ed.2d 737
(1967), the state's knowledge or assessment of the exculpatory or
In United States v. Agurs, the Court set forth the three different situations to
which the Brady rule could apply. Id. at 2397. The first is where a prosecutor
uses testimony which he knows or should have known was perjured. In such a
case a strict standard of materiality is applied. If there is any reasonable
likelihood that the false testimony could have affected the judgment, a new trial
is required. Id. No one contends that the facts of the instant case fall in this
category.
44
The second possible Brady situation is where the defendant makes a pretrial
request for specific information. Brady itself exemplifies this situation: defense
counsel had requested the extra-judicial statements of the defendant's
accomplice. Id. at 2398. The court in Agurs explained: "In Brady the request
was specific [because] [i]t gave the prosecutor notice of exactly what the
defense desired." Id. at 2399. Where a specific request is made, "if the subject
matter of such a request is material, or indeed if a substantial basis for claiming
materiality exists, it is reasonable to require the prosecutor to respond either by
furnishing the information or by submitting the problem to the trial judge." Id.
(emphasis added). In this situation, as in the first, the test of materiality is very
strict. "When the prosecutor receives a specific and relevant request, the failure
to make any response is seldom, if ever, excusable." Id. (emphasis added). In
Brady the information which was not disclosed in response to a specific request
was found to be immaterial to the guilt phase of the trial only because under the
state rules of evidence it would have been inadmissible. However, it clearly was
material to the capital sentencing phase of the trial because more relaxed rules
of evidence there apply.6 Therefore, a new sentencing proceeding was ordered.
45
The third type of situation to which Brady applies is where no request for
information 7 or only a general request for all exculpatory matter, as opposed to
a request for specific material, has been made. United States v. Agurs, 96 S.Ct.
at 2399. Here only if the undisclosed information is exculpatory and is
sufficiently material to have affected the result of the trial will a new trial be
warranted. Id. at 2402.
46
We must determine into which of the three Brady situations the present case
falls.
47
48
Here the request for names and addresses required no assessment on the part of
the prosecutor as to the exculpatory value of the information. It only required
disclosure of the names, including Bruns', in the prosecutor's file. Accordingly
it was a specific request for information under the standards enunciated in
United States v. Agurs, 96 S.Ct. at 2398-99.9
49
The state court found that even if there was a specific request for the identity of
Bruns, "there is no reasonable likelihood that [anything to which Bruns could
have testified] could have affected the outcome of the trial or sentence." Antone
v. State, 410 So.2d at 160, quoting with approval state trial judge's findings.
50
As noted above, the Court in Agurs stated that "seldom, if ever" will the failure
of the prosecutor to respond to a specific request for information be excused.
Thus we must determine whether this is one of the rare cases where the failure
is excusable. Although this is a close case, I conclude that it is one of the rare
cases.
51
Appellant makes no serious argument that anything to which Bruns could have
testified would have had a material impact on the determination of guilt. Rather
he contends that Bruns' testimony would have been mitigating in the penalty
phase because it would have refuted the evidence that he was the "mastermind"
of Cloud's killing. The state court explicitly relied on the fact that he was the
"mastermind" in imposing the death penalty. Antone v. State, 410 So.2d at 161;
Antone v. State, 382 So.2d at 316.
52
During the guilt phase of the trial Antone testified that he had no involvement
with the killing. Obviously the jury found this testimony incredible. At the
sentencing proceeding, Antone's counsel argued that the state's evidence
presented at the guilt phase established that Antone was no more culpable than
his co-defendants, and "didn't pull the trigger [and] [ ] didn't originate the idea
either." Trial Transcript at 1908. Appellant presented no evidence, testimony or
arguments that he did not know of the killing until after-the-fact. This was
never the theory on which he proceeded. Bruns' testimony that appellant was
involved only after-the-fact, if used, would have contradicted the other theories
on which appellant had relied. Given this conflict the evidence would not have
been mitigating and could not have affected the outcome of the sentence.
53
I also conclude that there is no likelihood that the penalty would have differed
if Bruns had testified that appellant was not the "mastermind" but a mere "gobetween" in the overall scheme. As found by the state supreme court and
supported by the record, "Bruns' testimony that Antone was the middleman was
not new evidence; that fact had been established during the course of the
original trial testimony. Antone was a middleman who organized, set up, and
masterminded the actual killing." Antone v. State, 410 So.2d at 161. That
another individual was the one who "originated the idea" that Cloud should be
killed does not change the fact that Antone planned how the killing should be
accomplished. This aspect of Bruns' potential testimony was merely cumulative
of other testimony previously presented by the state and there is no likelihood
that it "might have affected the outcome of the [sentence]." United States v.
Agurs, 427 U.S. at 104, 96 S.Ct. at 2398.
54
Therefore, for reasons different from those of the majority, I concur in the
denial of habeas relief on the Brady issue.
55
56
The majority states "the district court found that petitioner could not overcome
the presumption of correctness set forth in 28 U.S.C. Section 2254(d)" and that,
because the state court found there was no suppression of evidence by the
prosecution, "[t]his finding concludes the issue under 28 U.S.C. Sec. 2254(d)
and Sumner v. Mata, 449 U.S. 539, 101 S.Ct. 764, 66 L.Ed.2d 722 (1981)."
(emphasis added).
57
58
In my opinion, the majority erred (1) in not giving reasons why the hearing was
full and fair and why the record supports the finding at issue; (2) in not
evaluating whether petitioner established by convincing evidence that the
government did suppress evidence favorable to the government. Because,
however, under correct Brady analysis the factual finding made by the state
court on which the district court and the majority rely is not relevant, I do not
address these issues.
Relying on its view that the "district court carefully considered petitioner's
claims of ineffective assistance," Maj. Op. at 1540, the majority summarily
affirmed denial of habeas relief, giving no reasons for denial of appellant's nonfrivolous claims. Although the district court no doubt gave careful
consideration to the issue, the analysis at least as to one major aspect of the
claim is flawed and the legal standard applied was never identified; hence more
thorough consideration is warranted.
61
Appellant claims that the state evidentiary hearing was not full and fair and
therefore an evidentiary hearing was required on this issue in the federal district
court. Normally, if the state has not held an evidentiary hearing or if the facts
necessary to resolution of the issue raised on habeas were not adequately
developed in the state proceedings, a federal habeas court has a duty to conduct
an evidentiary hearing. Burden v. State, 584 F.2d 100, 102 (5th Cir.1978); Scott
v. Estelle, 567 F.2d 632 (5th Cir.1978). See also Guice v. Fortenberry, 661 F.2d
496, 500 (5th Cir.1981) (en banc); Jordan v. Estelle, 594 F.2d 144, 146 (5th
Cir.1979). Cf. Thomas v. Zant, 697 F.2d 977 (11th Cir.1983) (where state has
held evidentiary hearing but material facts are not adequately developed, absent
deliberate bypass by the petitioner, federal habeas court must hold an
evidentiary hearing). An exception to this general rule is found, however, where
the facts alleged by the petitioner, even if proved, would not entitle him to
relief. Guice v. Fortenberry, 661 F.2d at 503; Easter v. Estelle, 609 F.2d 756
(5th Cir.1980); Cronnon v. Alabama, 587 F.2d 246 (5th Cir.), cert. denied, 440
U.S. 974, 99 S.Ct. 1542, 59 L.Ed.2d 792 (1978). Another exception exists
where "the record before the district court was sufficient for a proper
examination of [petitioner's] claims." Winfrey v. Maggio, 664 F.2d 550, 552
(5th Cir.1981). See also Schultz v. Wainwright, 701 F.2d 900 at 901 (11th
Cir.1983) (evidentiary hearing not required where the district court can
determine merits of claim based on existing record).
62
Here, most of the factual issues appellant raises in his claim of ineffective
assistance can be resolved by reference to the existing record; presentation of
the evidence appellant seeks to proffer would not alter those resolutions. As to
those factual disputes that cannot be resolved by reference to the existing
record, even if we assume them proved, appellant would not prevail on the
ineffective assistance issue.
63
Thus, even assuming the state hearing was not full and fair, because the
following analysis of the merits would not be altered even if appellant were
afforded an evidentiary hearing in federal court, no such hearing was required.
64
Appellant presents three elements to his claim.11 First, he asserts that counsel
was ineffective by virtue of the failure to move for a change of venue in light of
prejudicial pretrial publicity. Even if we assume, however, that this did
constitute ineffectiveness, it is clear that no prejudice resulted from this failure.
Washington v. Strickland, 693 F.2d 1243, 1258 (5th Cir. Unit B 1982) (en
banc), cert. granted, --- U.S. ---, 1038 S.Ct. 2451, 77 L.Ed.2d 1332 (1983). A
review of the actual voir dire proceedings shows that the venire persons and
ultimate jurors adequately were voir dired, even if not by defense counsel,
about the effect of pretrial publicity and revealed no basis for a finding that
they were prejudiced by such publicity.
65
In Irvin v. Dowd, 366 U.S. 717, 81 S.Ct. 1639, 6 L.Ed.2d 751 (1961), the
Supreme Court enunciated the test for whether individual jurors are sufficiently
impartial to sit in judgment on the defendant.
66 essence, the right to jury trial guarantees to the criminally accused a fair trial by a
In
panel of impartial, 'indifferent' jurors. The failure to accord an accused a fair hearing
violates even the minimal standards of due process.... It is not required, however,
that the jurors be totally ignorant of the facts and issues involved.... To hold that the
mere existence of any preconceived notion as to the guilt or innocence of an accused,
without more, is sufficient to rebut the presumption of the prospective juror's
impartiality would be to establish an impossible standard. It is sufficient if the juror
can lay aside his impression or opinion and render a verdict based on the evidence
presented in court.
67
Id. at 722-23, 81 S.Ct. at 1642-43 (citations omitted). The record of the voir
dire shows that each and every juror who indicated that s/he had read or heard
about the circumstances of Antone's arrest and indictment were questioned by
the prosecutor and/or the defense counsel concerning their ability to render an
impartial verdict. These venirepersons each indicated an ability to be impartial
and the absence of any preconceived opinion as to guilt. Against this
background, responses to additional questions by defense counsel may have
been enlightening but the failure to propound such questions does not indicate
ineffective assistance.
68
Appellant next complains that counsel failed to object when prospective jurors
were excused for cause because of their convictions about the death penalty,
allegedly in violation of Witherspoon v. Illinois, 391 U.S. 510, 88 S.Ct. 1770,
20 L.Ed.2d 776 (1968).
69
My review of the record indicates that each dismissal fully was justified under
the standards of Witherspoon v. Illinois; therefore no objections to the
dismissals of the jurors in question could have been successful.
70
Persons conscientiously opposed to the death penalty may be excused for cause
only where their opposition is such that "(1) [ ] they would automatically vote
against the imposition of capital punishment without regard to any evidence
that might be developed at the trial of the case before them, or (2) that their
attitude toward the death penalty would prevent them from making an impartial
decision as to the defendant's guilt." Id. at 522 n. 21, 88 S.Ct. at 1777 n. 21
(emphasis in original). All the jurors excused for cause because of their views
on the death penalty indicated "unambiguously," id. at 515 n. 9, 88 S.Ct. at
1774 n. 9, that their decisions as to guilt would be affected by their views on the
death penalty. Thus, there was no Witherspoon basis for objections to their
dismissal and failure to object does not indicate ineffectiveness. Cf. Goodwin v.
Balkcom, 684 F.2d 794, 816 (11th Cir.1982) (failure to object to erroneous
Witherspoon dismissals and to propound more questions to venirepersons
evidences ineffectiveness).
71
The third aspect of the ineffective assistance claim is trial counsel's failure at
the penalty phase to introduce evidence of nonstatutory mitigating factors,
request an instruction that nonstatutory mitigating factors could be considered
and object to the prosecutor's misleading statements to the jury as to how
aggravating and mitigating factors were to be analyzed. Appellant argues that
but for this ineffectiveness, mitigating evidence would have been introduced in
the form of: (1) the disparity of sentences which would result if appellant were
given the death penalty when no co-defendants received the death penalty, (2)
the fact that appellant had undergone brain surgery, and (3) testimony of family
members and friends as to appellant's character.
72
Under the standards set forth in Washington v. Strickland, 693 F.2d 1243 (5th
Cir. Unit B 1982) (en banc), cert. granted, --- U.S. ---, 1038 S.Ct. 2451, 77
L.Ed.2d 1332 (1983), the failure of counsel to introduce the above evidence
would, in my view, come close to ineffectiveness. However, even if
ineffectiveness is assumed, the record shows the absence of any "actual and
substantial disadvantage to the course of his defense." Id. at 1262.
73
The record reveals and the majority points out in its discussion of the Lockett
claim, that defense counsel argued to the jury that a co-defendant bargained for
a thirty-five-year sentence. Under this court's analysis in Ford v. Strickland,
696 F.2d at 812, we now assume that arguments to the jury in the penalty phase
will be considered by the jury as mitigating evidence even though the jury was
never instructed that they could consider the underlying evidence on which
those arguments are based. Thus, the evidence as to sentencing disparity was
before the jury and appellant cannot claim to be prejudiced by virtue of the
failure to introduce more evidence on the same point.
74
this surgery had on his behavior or why this surgery should mitigate his guilt or
eligibility for the death penalty. None of appellant's family or friends were
called to testify in his behalf but again appellant does not suggest what
testimony these persons could have given that would have been mitigating.
Thus, even assuming ineffectiveness, appellant has failed to demonstrate how
this ineffectiveness disadvantaged him at the penalty phase. Accordingly, the
burden of proving "actual and substantial disadvantage," id., cannot be met.
75
For the foregoing reasons, I concur in the judgment that habeas relief is not
warranted on the ineffective assistance claim and, in general, in the judgment
but not the opinion of the majority.
Honorable George C. Young, U.S. District Court Judge for the Middle District
of Florida, sitting by designation
The Brady issue considered by the state court concerned the payment of
attorneys' fees for a co-defendant and is not the Brady issue raised by the
petition for habeas corpus
We have been holding this matter in abeyance pending this court's en banc
resolution of Ford v. Strickland, 696 F.2d 804 (11th Cir.1983) (en banc)
The seven mitigating factors as read by the state trial judge to the jury were: 1)
that the defendant has no significant history of prior criminal activity; 2) that
the crime for which the defendant is to be sentenced was committed while the
defendant was under the influence of extreme mental or emotional disturbance;
3) that the victim was a participant in the defendant's conduct or consented to
the act; 4) that the defendant was an accomplice in the offense for which he is
to be sentenced but the offense was committed by another person and the
defendant's participation was relatively minor; 5) that the defendant acted under
extreme duress or under the substantial domination of another person; 6) the
capacity of the defendant to appreciate the criminality of his conduct or to
conform his conduct to the requirements of the law was substantially impaired;
and 7) the age of the defendant at the time of the crime
v. Kibbe, and would apparently rely solely on Lockett. However, Antone has
argued this issue in the nature of a two prong attack and we have attempted to
review it as such. We are aware of no Supreme Court authority indicating to the
contrary
6
Counsel, however, did mention an injury to Mr. Antone's head and suggested
that the jury read about the injury as described in Mr. Antone's prison record,
introduced into evidence during the penalty phase of the trial. Counsel stated, "I
think his health is a matter of record in there and it is a factor to be considered
by you in considering the mitigating factor of age."
In fact, two of the seven mitigating factors specifically refer to mental qualities
Payton v. New York was decided on April 15, 1980. The petitioner's conviction
and sentence was affirmed by the Florida Supreme Court on March 27, 1980,
rehearing denied on May 21, 1980. The petitioner did not raise the Payton issue
on direct appeal
v. Kibbe and would apparently rely solely on Lockett. However, Antone has
argued this issue in the nature of a two prong attack and we have attempted to
review it as such. We are aware of no Supreme Court authority indicating to the
contrary.
Maj. Op. at note 5. It is not clear to which "two prongs" the majority refers, the
issues of "cause" and "prejudice" or the issues of "prejudice" and the "merits"
of the Lockett claim. Assuming the former, although I believe reference to
Lockett must be made in determining how both "cause" and "prejudice" are
defined in the context of a Lockett claim, the two issues are and should be
treated as two separate prongs. See text supra, at 1537. The fact that the same
case affects the analysis of two separate issues, however, makes those two
issues no less distinct. If the majority refers to the distinction between analysis
of "prejudice" and the merits of a Lockett claim, as indicated in note 4 supra, I
believe these are to be treated separately. One issue goes to whether, assuming
the alleged error occurred, it is of sufficient constitutional magnitude to justify
our reaching the merits despite procedural default; the other, the merits,
involves a determination of whether the error occurred, i.e., was the instruction
erroneous. Again, however, the fact that reference to Lockett is relevant to both
issues does not mean the issues are indistinct. Finally, it is not the mere
"citation" to Henderson v. Kibbe to which I object but the failure to distinguish
between an eighth amendment and a fourteenth amendment claim.
3
Relying on Ford v. Strickland, the majority here ruled: "There was nothing in
the jury instructions that precluded the jury from considering this fact [disparity
of appellant's and codefendant's sentences] ... [and] the jury would not have
been precluded from considering [appellant's brain surgery] by the court's
instructions." Majority Opinion at 1538 (footnotes omitted). This is a resolution
of the merits of appellant's Lockett claim, rather than resolution of the
prerequisite, procedural issue of whether there was actual prejudice from the
alleged constitutional violation. Compare Ford v. Strickland, 696 F.2d, at 812813, with id. at 858-59 (Kravitch, J. dissenting)
In United States v. Frady, 456 U.S. 152, 102 S.Ct. 1584, 71 L.Ed.2d 816 (1982)
the Supreme Court enunciated the standards and appropriate approach to
analysis of prejudice in the cause and prejudice test. The constitutional
violation there alleged was that the jury that convicted Frady was erroneously
instructed on the element of malice, leading to a conviction of first degree
murder rather than manslaughter. Frady had failed contemporaneously to object
to the instructions as given and, thus, only if the cause and prejudice standard
of Sykes were met could the federal habeas court reach the merits of his claim.
In determining that Frady failed to establish actual prejudice from his failure to
object, the Court did not delve into an analysis of whether or not the jury
instruction was erroneous but proceeded on the assumption that the instruction
was in error. No prejudice was found because there was strong evidence of
malice in the record, Frady never contended that he acted without malice, and
the findings that were required to convict under the instruction that was given
were incompatible with a finding of the lesser charge of manslaughter. The
Court therefore found that the federal habeas court was precluded from
reaching the merits of Frady's claim that the instruction given was erroneous as
to malice. Id. at 174-75, 102 S.Ct. at 1597-98, 71 L.Ed.2d at 834.
I am troubled by the developing pattern of addressing the merits of habeas
claims while purporting to resolve and considering arguments and authority
only relevant to the "prejudice" issue. I am concerned that in future cases
litigants and the court will apply these discussions as precedent for resolution
of the merits of Lockett claims raised on habeas.
4
I would hold therefore that the state court finding to the contrary, Antone v.
State, 410 So.2d at 160, is an error of law
10