TERRY L. REED, APPELLANT,
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEE
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Terry Reed appealed the summary denial of his post-conviction motion alleging ineffective assistance of counsel. The appellate court affirmed the denial of his claim regarding failure to object to prison history evidence but reversed and remanded regarding his claim that counsel failed to pursue a voluntary intoxication defense despite evidence of intoxication.
The court affirmed the denial of the first ground because Reed failed to show a reasonable probability that the results would have been different. The court reversed and remanded on the second ground because Reed's allegations that counsel failed to pursue a voluntary intoxication defense despite evidence of intoxication in a specific intent crime were sufficient to require either record attachments refuting the allegations or an evidentiary hearing.
[1] A motion for post-conviction relief alleging ineffective assistance of counsel based on the failure to object to testimony about prior imprisonment is properly denied if…
[2] Allegations that trial counsel failed to present a voluntary intoxication defense, despite evidence of intoxication and the defendant's history of alcoholism, are suffici…
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“a defendant's allegation that his attorney failed to consider a voluntary intoxication defense although defendant informed him of a history of alcoholism, together with record evidence that the defendant was intoxicated at the time of committing a specific intent crime, is sufficient to require attachment of portions of the record refuting the allegation, or for an evidentiary hearing on the claim.”
Establishes the standard for ineffective assistance claims based on failure to pursue voluntary intoxication defense in specific intent crimes.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceReed was convicted by jury of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and sentenced as a habitual violent felony offender. Pre-trial discovery indicat…
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PER CURIAM.
Terry L. Reed has appealed the summary denial of his motion for post-conviction relief, pursuant to Rule 3.850, Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure. We affirm in part and reverse in part.
Reed was convicted by a jury of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and sentenced as an habitual violent felony offender. His conviction and sentence were affirmed in Reed v. State, 589 So. 2d 297 (Fla. 1st DCA 1991). Reed thereafter filed the instant motion alleging ineffective assistance of trial counsel in: 1) failing to object or move for a mistrial when the state elicited a response indicating that Reed had previously been to prison, and 2) failing to present a defense of voluntary intoxication, despite pre-trial discovery indicating that Reed was intoxicated at the time of the offense. The trial court denied the motion without explanation or attachments.
The motion was correctly denied as to the first ground, in that it did not allege or show that there was a reasonable probability that the results of the proceedings would have been different but for the alleged substandard performance. See Bertolotti v. State, 534 So. 2d 386, 387 (Fla. 1988). However, a defendant's allegation that his attorney failed to consider a voluntary intoxication defense although defendant informed him of a history of alcoholism, together with record evidence that the defendant was intoxicated at the time of committing a specific intent crime, is sufficient to require attachment of portions of the record refuting the allegation, or for an evidentiary hearing on the claim. McCoy v. State, 598 So. 2d 169, 171 (Fla. 1st DCA 1992).
Although the motion presents a close case on this issue, Reed does allege that “pre-trial discovery indicated that several witnesses, including the arresting officer, stated that the defendant was highly intoxication [sic] at the time the alleged crime was committed.” Reed goes on to allege that counsel did not pursue this evidence in order to formulate a defense of voluntary intoxication, nor did he elicit evidence of intoxication at trial. These allegations are sufficient to require attachment of portions of the record refuting the allegations, or for an evidentiary hearing. McCoy at 171. Therefore, we reverse the order of the trial court as to this allegation only, and remand for further proceedings.
Affirmed in part, reversed in part and remanded with directions.
SHIVERS and ZEHMER, JJ„ concur. JOANOS, C.J., concurring in part and dissenting in part with written opinion.
JOANOS, Chief Judge,
concurring in part and dissenting in part.
I would affirm the order on appeal in full.
Appellant’s allegation in regard to the possible defense of voluntary intoxication is as follows:
Counsel failed to investigate, research relevant laws, and/or otherwise prepare defendant a valid defense to the crime charge.
That is, pre-trial discovery indicated that several witnesses, including the arresting officer, stated that defendant was highly intoxication [sic] at the time the alleged crime was committed. However, counsel did not follow-up on this evidence and present a defense based on voluntary intoxication. Instead, counsel chose to argue that there was no weapon (knife) involved even though such defense was totally contrary to the testimony of eye witnesses [sic].
Moreover, during the course of the trial, counsel failed to ask a single witness whether defendant was intoxicated or appeared to be intoxicated which prevent [sic] a jury instruction on voluntary intoxication which was a defense to the crime charged. Counsel’s failure not only deprived defendant [of] a fair trial as guaranteed him by the federal and state constitution, it deprived the jury of its pardon power. First of all, Reed does not allege that he informed his counsel of a history of alcoholism, as was the situation in McCoy v. State, 598 So. 2d 169, 171 (Fla. 1st DCA 1992). Nor does he allege that he even informed counsel that he was intoxicated at the time of the event. Further, appellant is in effect “second-guessing” the strategy employed by counsel at trial. Because that strategy was unsuccessful, he now urges that a different defense should have been employed. An allegation that trial counsel should have used a different trial strategy is insufficient to state a cause of action for ineffective assistance of counsel. See Kennedy v. State, 547 So. 2d 912, 914 (Fla. 1989).
For these reasons, I dissent from that portion of the majority opinion reversing the trial court order, and would affirm it in its entirety.
Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus
Citator
Cited By
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Guisasola v. State, 667 So. 2d 248 (Fla. 1st DCA 1995)…rime entitling him to a jury instruction on voluntary intoxication where there was evidence of intoxication at the time of the offense. See Gardner v. State, 480 So. 2d 91 (Fla.1985); Price v. State, 487 So. 2d 34 (Fla. 1st DCA 1986); Reed v. State, 611 So. 2d 48 (Fla. 1st DCA 1992). We are compelled to REVERSE and REMAND to the trial court for an evidentiary hearing. BOOTH and MINER, JJ., concur.…
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McKINNEY v. State, 722 So. 2d 933 (Fla. 1st DCA 1998)…ubstance abuse that, together with record evidence of his intoxication at the time of the offense, should have alerted his counsel to the possibility of such a defense. See Jenkins v. State, 625 So. 2d 883, 884-85 (Fla. 1st DCA 1993); Reed v. State, 611 So. 2d 48, 49 (Fla. 1st DCA 1992); McCoy v. State, 598 So. 2d 169, 170-71 (Fla. 1st DCA 1992); [*935] Price v. State, 487 So. 2d 34, 34-35 (Fla. 1st DCA 1986). Appellant’s allegations meet the requirements previously set by this court. Appellant also sufficie…
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Durden v. State, 657 So. 2d 919 (Fla. 5th DCA 1995)…r conduct an evidentiary hearing or attach portions of the record refuting Durden’s claim that his counsel was ineffective for failing to consider a voluntary intoxication defense. Jenkins v. State, 625 So. 2d 883 (Fla. 1st DCA 1993); Reed v. State, 611 So. 2d 48 (Fla. 1st DCA 1992); McCoy v. State, 598 So. 2d 169 (Fla. 1st DCA 1992). Durden’s second claim is that his trial counsel failed to adequately investigate the circumstances surrounding his confession and failed to file a motion to suppress the confe…
Previewing 3 of 4 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- Kennedy v. State, 547 So. 2d 912 (Fla. 1989)
- McCOY v. State, 598 So. 2d 169 (Fla. 1st DCA 1992)
- Bertolotti v. State, 534 So. 2d 386 (Fla. 1988)