Black v. State

794 So. 2d 1210, 1999 Ala. Crim. App. LEXIS 35, 1999 WL 171338
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Alabama
DecidedMarch 26, 1999
DocketCR-97-1068
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 794 So. 2d 1210 (Black v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Black v. State, 794 So. 2d 1210, 1999 Ala. Crim. App. LEXIS 35, 1999 WL 171338 (Ala. Ct. App. 1999).

Opinion

LONG, Presiding Judge.

The appellant, Thomas A. Black, was convicted of sodomy in the first degree, rape in the first degree, burglary in the first degree, and robbery in the first degree. He was sentenced, pursuant to the Habitual Felony Offender Act, to four consecutive terms of life imprisonment. His convictions were affirmed on direct appeal. Black v. State, 689 So.2d 1009 (Ala.Cr.App.1996) (table).

On December 30, 1996, Black filed a postconviction petition pursuant to Rule 32, Ala.R.Crim.P., attacking his convictions based on numerous claims of ineffective assistance of trial and appellate counsel and on jurisdictional grounds. The circuit court dismissed the petition.

Black’s claims of ineffective assistance of appellate counsel were as follows:

[1211]*1211(1) that appellate counsel failed to file a motion to supplement the record on direct appeal to support Black’s claim of an impermissibly suggestive identification;
(2) that appellate counsel raised issues that had not been preserved for review; and
(3) that appellate counsel failed to preserve the issue whether trial counsel had been ineffective for failing to adequately challenge the state’s DNA evidence through the procedure set out in Ex parte Jackson, 598 So.2d 895 (Ala.1992).

Black’s claims of ineffective assistance of trial counsel were as follows:

(4) that trial counsel had failed to preserve for appellate review the trial court’s granting of a motion made by the prosecution seeking to limit the testimony of a defense witness;
(5) that trial counsel failed to subpoena a witness Black says would have supplied an alibi;
(6) that trial counsel failed to allow Black to testify at trial;
(7) that trial counsel failed to request any jury instructions;
(8) that trial counsel failed to assure that Black was present during the trial court’s in-chambers discussion with a juror and during additional discussions or instructions with jurors;
(9) that trial counsel failed to obtain a copy of a tape recording to determine if a voice on the tape, purported to be Black’s, was actually his;
(10) that trial counsel failed to object to Black’s being compelled to participate in a line-up without the presence of counsel;
(11) that trial counsel failed to object to the portion of the state’s closing argument in which the prosecutor referred to the lack of rebuttal DNA evidence by the defendant;
(12) that trial counsel failed to object to the state’s obtaining a recording of Black’s voice because, he said, the recording was made in violation of his constitutional rights;
(13) that trial counsel failed to object when the jury deliberated outside the jury room (the jury recessed for lunch at a restaurant before reaching a verdict and returned from lunch with a verdict); and
(14) that trial counsel failed to object to a trial court order that Black produce evidence obtained as the result of an allegedly unconstitutional search and seizure.

Black’s petition also alleged:

(15) that the trial court was without jurisdiction to render a judgment or to impose sentence because the grand jury indicted Black based on unconstitutionally obtained evidence; and
(16) that the state failed to meet the standards of admissibility for DNA evidence and the related statistical analysis set out in Ex parte Perry, 586 So.2d 242 (Ala.1991).

The circuit court’s order dismissing the Rule 32 petition stated:

“Petitioner files his petition pursuant to Rule 32, Ala.R.Cr.P., alleging that he was denied effective assistance of appellate counsel in that appellate counsel failed to file a motion to supplement the record on appeal, thereby preventing review of an alleged impermissibly suggestive identification.
“The record reflects that the issue of the identification of the petitioner through voice and line-up was presented to the trial court as well as the appellate court and [was] denied. The petitioner fails to aver sufficient facts to indicate [1212]*1212that appellate counsel either 1) was not performing in conformity with the Sixth Amendment right to counsel, or 2) that but for his counsel’s performance the outcome would have been different. Ex parte Lawley, 512 So.2d 1370 (Ala.1987). To establish ineffective assistance of counsel, the petitioner must show that his appellate attorney’s performance was so deficient as to fall below the objective standard of reasonableness and, further, that his deficiency actually prejudiced the petitioner so as to deny him a fair trial. Stringfellow v. State, 485 So.2d 1238 (Ala.Cr.App.1986). The circumstances surrounding the identification of the petitioner was included in the transcript of the testimony of trial witnesses and the basis therefor was reviewed by the appellate court. This claim for relief is denied.
“Petitioner next complains that appellate counsel ... raised issues not properly preserved regarding DNA issues and 5th Amendment charges as well as failed, neglected or refused to properly and timely preserve for review the issue of ineffective assistance of trial counsel. This complaint is without merit as the issues concerning admission of DNA evidence were the primary bases for appeal and were properly addressed and denied by the appellate court. The claims for ineffective assistance of trial counsel have been waived as said claims were not raised at trial or upon appeal and are precluded pursuant to Rule 32.2(a)(3) & (5); however, said claims are being addressed out of necessity in this order. The law does not require appellate counsel to raise issues merely for the sake of preservation of those issues when it is apparent on the record to appellate counsel that said issue of ineffective assistance of trial counsel is without merit. The law will not put appellate counsel in error for failure to raise frivolous issues.
“Petitioner complains that his trial counsel failed to preserve for review denial of the right to present alleged hearsay evidence of a witness, failed to subpoena a known corroborating witness, failed to protect the petitioner’s right to testify, failed to file written requested jury instructions, failed to interpose an objection when defendant allegedly was not present during an in-chambers discussion between the Trial Court and a juror or allegedly during a time the Trial Court held communications with the jury during deliberations, failed to obtain a copy of the ‘exemplar’ to ascertain if it actually contained the defendant’s voice, failed to object to the lineup/speak-up conducted without defendant’s attorney [being present], failed to object to comments of the prosecutor during closing' arguments, failed to object to the method of the acquisition of the voice ‘exemplar,’ that trial counsel caused the jury to deliberate outside the deliberations room, and again that trial counsel failed to object to the court order to produce when said order was based upon illegally obtained voice evidence.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Thomas v. State
43 So. 3d 1288 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama, 2007)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
794 So. 2d 1210, 1999 Ala. Crim. App. LEXIS 35, 1999 WL 171338, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/black-v-state-alacrimapp-1999.