Rosa v. Secretary, Department of Corrections et al
Filing
14
ORDER dismissing case Signed by Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. on 2/13/2017. (VMF)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA
ORLANDO DIVISION
ARTURO ROSA,
Petitioner,
v.
CASE NO. 6:15-cv-752-Orl-37TBS
SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT
OF CORRECTIONS, et al.,
Respondents.
ORDER
This case is before the Court on Petitioner’s Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus (“Petition,”
Doc. 1) filed pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254. Respondents filed a Response to the Petition
(“Response,” Doc. 5) in accordance with this Court’s instructions. Petitioner filed a Reply to the
Response to the Petition (“Reply,” Doc. 9).
Petitioner asserts five grounds for relief. For the following reasons, the Petition is denied.
I.
PROCEDURAL HISTORY
Petitioner was charged by information in case 2008-cf-14624 in the Ninth Judicial Circuit
in and for Orange County, Florida with attempted robbery with a firearm and mask. (Doc. 6 at 15).
A jury found Petitioner guilty as charged. (Id. at 66). The trial court sentenced Petitioner to a
twenty-five year term of imprisonment. (Id. at 56). Petitioner appealed, and the Fifth District Court
of Appeal of Florida (“Fifth DCA”) affirmed per curiam. (Doc. 6-1 at 21).
Petitioner, through counsel, filed a motion for post-conviction relief pursuant to Rule 3.850
of the Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure. (Id. at 25-35). The state court denied the motion. (Id.
at 39-45). Petitioner appealed, and the Fifth DCA affirmed per curiam. (Id. at 102).
Page 1 of 16
II.
EVIDENCE ADDUCED AT TRIAL
Yu Chang (“Chang”) testified that on May 24, 2007, Petitioner came into the convenience
store where she worked, wearing a yellow t-shirt over his face and head, and demanded money
while pointing a gun at her. (Doc. 6 at 226, 230). Chang said when Petitioner initially approached
her, she was scared, but she refused to give him money after she recognized his voice. (Id. at 23031). Chang said she called Petitioner the name by which she generally referred to him, told him
she knew who he was, and stated she would give him the money when he took the shirt off his
face. (Id. at 231, 252-53).
Chang testified that she immediately recognized Petitioner’s voice because he had been a
regular customer in her store for three years, during which time he came to the store two to three
times weekly to purchase items and to cash his government checks each month. (Id. at 227-28,
230-32, 252-53). Chang explained that Petitioner has a distinctive voice, which is deep and
scratchy. (Id. at 233). When Petitioner fled the store, Chang searched her records for Petitioner’s
most recent check and a copy of his identification. (Id. at 227, 239-41). Chang gave them to the
police and identified Petitioner as the perpetrator. (Id. at 239-41). Chang subsequently identified
Petitioner as the perpetrator in a photographic line-up. (Id. at 243). The attempted robbery was
recorded on video, however, it did not have sound. (Id. at 233-37). Chang testified that Petitioner
was the same height, weight, and build as the person depicted in the video. (Id. at 237). She also
identified him in court as the perpetrator. (Id. at 232).
Steven Travis (“Travis”) testified that on the date of the offense, he observed a man pacing
near the convenience store with a yellow t-shirt on his head. (Id. at 302-05). Travis said he had a
good opportunity to see the individual’s face and indicated that the person was approximately 5’9’’
tall and weighed approximately 170 pounds. (Id.). According to Travis, he picked Petitioner out
of a photographic line-up approximately two hours after the offense and he was ninety percent
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certain at that time Petitioner was the person he saw outside the store. (Id. at 305-06).
Naiza Court (“Court”) testified that she was at a business near the convenience store on the
date of the offense and as she was going to her car, she observed the offense in progress. (Id. at
262-63). Court indicated that she could only see the perpetrator’s eyes because of the yellow shirt
around his head and that the perpetrator appeared to be older given the wrinkles around his eyes.
(Id. at 264, 267). Court said she got into her car, moved it, and waited for the perpetrator to exit
the store. (Id. at 263-66). Court testified that the perpetrator ran behind the store and then passed
her car in a grayish/silver, two-door, older model Honda Accord with a for-sale sign in the window.
(Id. at 266-67). Court said that the photographs of the vehicle shown to her by law enforcement
after the offense were similar to the vehicle she saw the day of the offense, and she admitted she
told the police that the vehicle in the photos was similar to, but not the same as, the one she
observed on the date of the offense. (Id. at 274, 276). Court, however, testified at trial that the
photographs of the vehicle admitted into evidence depicted the same vehicle used by the
perpetrator in the offense. (Id. at 276).
Detective Rob Branch testified that when he went several hours after the offense to
Petitioner’s home located 1.7 miles from the convenience store, he saw a four-door Honda Accord
with a for-sale sign in the front windshield in Petitioner’s driveway. (Id. at 287). Detective Branch
said that Petitioner denied committing the offense, and on a later date, Petitioner told him that
someone who looked just like Petitioner, had the same voice, and used the same nickname, did
bad things in the area where the offense occurred for which Petitioner would get blamed. (Id. at
290-91).
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III.
A.
LEGAL STANDARDS
Standard Of Review Under The Antiterrorism Effective Death Penalty Act
(“AEDPA”)
Pursuant to the AEDPA, federal habeas relief may not be granted with respect to a claim
adjudicated on the merits in state court unless the adjudication of the claim:
(1)
resulted in a decision that was contrary to, or involved an unreasonable
application of, clearly established Federal law, as determined by the
Supreme Court of the United States; or
(2)
resulted in a decision that was based on an unreasonable determination of
the facts in light of the evidence presented in the State court proceeding.
28 U.S.C. § 2254(d). The phrase “clearly established Federal law,” encompasses only the holdings
of the Supreme Court of the United States “as of the time of the relevant state-court decision.”
Williams v. Taylor, 529 U.S. 362, 412 (2000).
“[S]ection 2254(d)(1) provides two separate bases for reviewing state court decisions; the
‘contrary to’ and ‘unreasonable application’ clauses articulate independent considerations a federal
court must consider.” Maharaj v. Sec’y for Dep=t of Corr., 432 F.3d 1292, 1308 (11th Cir. 2005).
The meaning of the clauses was discussed by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Parker v.
Head, 244 F.3d 831, 835 (11th Cir. 2001):
Under the “contrary to” clause, a federal court may grant the writ if the state court
arrives at a conclusion opposite to that reached by [the United States Supreme
Court] on a question of law or if the state court decides a case differently than [the
United States Supreme Court] has on a set of materially indistinguishable facts.
Under the ‘unreasonable application’ clause, a federal habeas court may grant the
writ if the state court identifies the correct governing legal principle from [the
United States Supreme Court’s] decisions but unreasonably applies that principle
to the facts of the prisoner’s case.
Even if the federal court concludes that the state court applied federal law incorrectly, habeas relief
is appropriate only if that application was “objectively unreasonable.” Id.
Finally, under § 2254(d)(2), a federal court may grant a writ of habeas corpus if the state
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court’s decision “was based on an unreasonable determination of the facts in light of the evidence
presented in the State court proceeding.” A determination of a factual issue made by a state court,
however, shall be presumed correct, and the habeas petitioner shall have the burden of rebutting
the presumption of correctness by clear and convincing evidence. See Parker, 244 F.3d at 835-36;
28 U.S.C. § 2254(e)(1).
B.
Standard For Ineffective Assistance Of Counsel
The Supreme Court of the United States in Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668 (1984),
established a two-part test for determining whether a convicted person is entitled to relief on the
ground that his counsel rendered ineffective assistance: (1) whether counsel’s performance was
deficient and “fell below an objective standard of reasonableness”; and (2) whether the deficient
performance prejudiced the defense. 1 Id. at 687-88. A court must adhere to a strong presumption
that counsel’s conduct falls within the wide range of reasonable professional assistance.
Id. at
689-90. “Thus, a court deciding an actual ineffectiveness claim must judge the reasonableness of
counsel’s challenged conduct on the facts of the particular case, viewed as of the time of counsel’s
conduct.” Id. at 690; Gates v. Zant, 863 F.2d 1492, 1497 (11th Cir. 1989).
As observed by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, the test for ineffective assistance of
counsel:
has nothing to do with what the best lawyers would have done. Nor is the test even
what most good lawyers would have done. We ask only whether some reasonable
lawyer at the trial could have acted, in the circumstances, as defense counsel acted
at trial. Courts also should at the start presume effectiveness and should always
avoid second guessing with the benefit of hindsight. Strickland encourages
reviewing courts to allow lawyers broad discretion to represent their clients by
pursuing their own strategy. We are not interested in grading lawyers’
1
In Lockhart v. Fretwell, 506 U.S. 364, 372 (1993), the Supreme Court of the United States
clarified that the prejudice prong of the test does not focus solely on mere outcome determination;
rather, to establish prejudice, a criminal defendant must show that counsel’s deficient
representation rendered the result of the trial fundamentally unfair or unreliable.
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performances; we are interested in whether the adversarial process at trial, in fact,
worked adequately.
White v. Singletary, 972 F.2d 1218, 1220-21 (11th Cir. 1992) (citation omitted). Under those rules
and presumptions, “the cases in which habeas petitioners can properly prevail on the ground of
ineffective assistance of counsel are few and far between.” Rogers v. Zant, 13 F.3d 384, 386 (11th
Cir. 1994).
IV.
A.
ANALYSIS
Ground One
Petitioner contends that the trial court violated his Sixth and Fourteenth Amendment rights
by denying his motion for new trial based on juror misconduct and by refusing counsel’s request
to interview the juror. (Doc. 1 at 5). In support of this ground, Petitioner maintains that during
defense counsel’s closing argument, a juror commented that the defense had not put on a case or
any evidence. (Id.). Petitioner maintains that the trial court’s actions prevented him from
determining if the juror could be fair and impartial and resulted in a partial jury. (Id.). Petitioner
does not argue that his Fifth Amendment rights were violated. See Doc. Nos. 1 at 5-6; 9 at 4-6.
Petitioner raised this ground on direct appeal. (Doc. Nos. 6 at 370-80; 6-1 at 1-3). The Fifth
DCA affirmed per curiam. 2 (Doc. 6-1 at 21).
“[T]he right to jury trial guarantees to the criminally accused a fair trial by a panel of
2
The Court notes that although Petitioner couched this ground in the state court as a
violation of due process, it does not appear it was raised as a federal issue and he relied solely on
state law. See Doc. Nos. 6 at 370-80; 6-1 at 1-3. Consequently, it appears that ground one as raised
in this Court may be unexhausted and would be procedurally barred from review. Zeigler v.
Crosby, 345 F.3d 1300, 1307 (11th Cir. 2003) (holding that the petitioner failed to “fairly present”
his juror misconduct claims to the state courts where his brief to the state appellate court did not
refer to the federal constitutional issues raised in his federal habeas petition, and none of the cases
cited in his direct appeal brief discussed federal law or the United States Constitution). However,
Respondents did not argue that this ground is procedurally defaulted, and the Court declines to sua
sponte apply the procedural bar.
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impartial, ‘indifferent’ jurors. The failure to accord an accused a fair hearing violates even the
minimal standards of due process.” Irvin v. Dowd, 366 U.S. 717, 722 (1961) (citing In re Oliver,
333 U.S. 257 (1948) and Tumey v. State of Ohio, 273 U.S. 510 (1927)). An impartial jury is one
“that determines guilt on the basis of the judge’s instructions and the evidence introduced at trial,
as distinct from preconceptions or other extraneous sources of decision.” Oswald v. Bertrand, 374
F.3d 475, 477 (7th Cir. 2004) (citing inter alia Patton v. Yount, 467 U.S. 1025, 1037 n.12 (1984)
and Irvin, 366 U.S. at 721-23)). “[D]ue process requires the trial judge, if he [or she] becomes
aware of a possible source of bias, to ‘determine the circumstances, the impact thereof upon the
juror, and whether or not it was prejudicial.’” Id. at 477-78 (quoting Remmer v. United States, 347
U.S. 227, 230 (1954)). A court’s duty of inquiry is equally applicable when the defendant is tried
in a state court. Id. at 478 (citing Smith v. Phillips, 455 U.S. 209, 217 (1982)).
“[T]o obtain a new trial [based on juror misconduct during voir dire], a party
must first demonstrate that a juror failed to answer honestly a material question on
voir dire, and then further show that a correct response would have provided a valid
basis for a challenge for cause.” McDonough [Power Equip., Inc. v. Greenwood,
464 U.S. 548, 556 (1984).] The first prong requires a determination of whether the
juror answered honestly, “that is, whether he was aware of the fact that his answers
were false.” United States v. Perkins, 748 F.2d 1519, 1531 (11th Cir.1984).
The second prong, that a correct response would have provided a valid basis
for a challenge for cause, requires a showing of actual bias. BankAtlantic v. Blythe
Eastman Paine Webber, Inc., 955 F.2d 1467, 1473 (11th Cir.1992) (citing Perkins,
748 F.2d at 1532); see also United States v. Tutt, 704 F.2d 1567, 1569 (11th Cir.
1983) (“The defendant is required to demonstrate an actual, identifiable prejudice
on the part of the juror.”). Actual bias may be shown either “by express admission
or by proof of specific facts showing such a close connection to the circumstances
at hand that bias must be presumed.” BankAtlantic, 955 F.2d at 1473 (quotation
marks omitted).
United States v. Valencia-Trujillo, 380 F. App’x 936, 937–38 (11th Cir. 2010). “A claim of alleged
bias is ordinarily addressed in a hearing where the judge examines the juror and obtains assurances
of the juror’s impartiality.” Hatten v. Quarterman, 570 F.3d 595, 600 (5th Cir. 2009) (citing Brooks
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v. Dretke, 444 F.3d 328, 330 (5th Cir. 2006)); see also Smith, 455 U.S. at 209 (“This Court has
long held that the remedy for allegations of juror partiality is a hearing in which the defendant has
the opportunity to prove actual bias.”).
In the instant case, the record reflects that during the defense’s closing argument, the parties
approached the bench and agreed that a juror had made a statement indicating that the jury had
only heard one side of the case. 3 (Doc. 6 at 335-36). Defense counsel asked the trial court to inquire
of the jury because the statement appeared to indicate that the jury believed the defense was
required to put on a case, and because the defense had not done so, the defense’s arguments were
not credible. (Id. at 336). In response to defense counsel’s request, the trial judge stated his intent
to instruct the jury regarding the burden of proof. (Id.). Defense counsel did not object to the trial
judge’s proposed response to the juror’s statement nor did she request an individual inquiry of the
juror. (Id.). Before defense counsel resumed her closing argument, the trial court told the jury:
Just as a point of clarification this brings out something that we talked about in jury
selection that the State is required to prove its case. Defense is not required to put
on any testimony. The State has rested, defense has rested. Defense has presented
arguments for you to consider. The State has to prove its case beyond and to the
exclusion of every reasonable doubt and as to each element of the offense. The
State has the burden. The defense is not required to prove anything. The State has
the burden.
(Id. at 336-37). The trial judge asked the jurors if they understood these instructions, and the jurors
nodded affirmatively. (Id.).
Defense counsel continued her closing argument after which the court again instructed the
jury that Petitioner is presumed innocent and is not required to present any evidence and the State
has the burden of proving Petitioner’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. See Doc. 6 at 351, 353-54.
The trial court further instructed the jury that it had to decide the case based only on the evidence
3
The trial transcript does not contain the juror’s statement. See Doc. 6 at 335-36.
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presented and that it had to follow the law as provided by the court. See id. After the trial
concluded, defense counsel filed a motion to interview juror and a motion for new trial based on
the juror’s comment. (Doc. 6 at 85-89). The state court summarily denied the motion for new trial. 4
(Doc. 6 at 8).
The juror’s statement does not demonstrate that the juror failed to answer a material
question honestly during voir dire. During voir dire, the trial judge instructed the venire that the
State had to prove Petitioner was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and that the defense did not
have to present any witnesses or do anything, and the venire affirmed it understood this. (Doc. 6
at 137-38). The juror’s statement during closing argument does not establish he lied during voir
dire. Instead, the juror’s statement reflects either (1) he misunderstood the law, or (2) a lapse in
memory regarding the earlier instructions. In other words, the juror’s statement did not evidence
dishonesty or partiality. Petitioner, therefore, has not established that the juror misrepresented a
material fact or that he was actually biased against Petitioner to warrant a new trial.
In addition, in response to the juror’s comment, the trial court immediately instructed the
jurors that the State bore the burden of proving Petitioner’s guilt and that Petitioner did not have
to present any evidence or prove anything. The trial court questioned the jurors to ensure they
understood the law on this point. While it may have been advisable for the trial court to conduct a
hearing to inquire further of the juror, neither individual inquiry nor a hearing were requested prior
to the verdict’s return. Due process does not always require a hearing. See Tracey v. Palmateer,
341 F.3d 1037, 1044 (9th Cir. 2003) (explaining “Remmer and Smith do not stand for the
proposition that any time evidence of juror bias comes to light, due process requires the trial court
4
It is not clear whether the state court ruled on Petitioner’s post-trial motion to interview
juror. In addition, although not mentioned by Petitioner in the Petition, it appears that the juror
who made the comment served as the jury’s foreperson. See Doc. 6 at 66, 88.
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to question the jurors alleged to have bias. Smith states that this ‘may’ be the proper course, and
that a hearing ‘is sufficient’ to satisfy due process. Smith leaves open the door as to whether a
hearing is always required and what else may be ‘sufficient’ to alleviate any due process
concerns.”) (citation omitted). Given that (1) the juror’s statement was made in the presence of the
trial court and the parties, (2) the matter did not involve an issue of jury tampering or the jury’s
consideration of extraneous information, and (3) there is no showing that the juror lied about a
material fact, the state court afforded Petitioner all the process required by ensuring the jury
understood the State’s burden of proof. Consequently, the state court’s denial of this ground is not
contrary to, or an unreasonable application of, clearly established federal law. Accordingly, ground
one is denied pursuant to § 2254(d).
B.
Ground Two
Petitioner contends counsel rendered ineffective assistance by failing to challenge Chang’s
identification of him in a photographic line-up. (Doc. 1 at 8-10). In support of this ground,
Petitioner argues that the photographic line-up was impermissibly suggestive because the photo
used in the line-up was the same one Chang provided to law enforcement. (Doc. 6-1 at 102).
Petitioner raised this ground in his Rule 3.850 motion. The state court denied relief
pursuant to Strickland. (Doc. 6-1 at 41-42). The state court concluded that Petitioner failed to
demonstrate prejudice in light of the evidence presented. (Id.). The Fifth DCA affirmed per
curiam. (Id.).
Petitioner has not established that the state court’s denial of this ground is contrary to, or
an unreasonable application of, Strickland. Chang’s identification of Petitioner was based
primarily on his voice, and she identified Petitioner as the perpetrator before she was shown the
photographic line-up. Furthermore, Travis identified Petitioner shortly after the incident with
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ninety percent certainty from a photographic line-up, and a car similar to the one described as the
getaway vehicle was observed in Petitioner’s driveway on the date of the offense. Therefore, a
reasonable probability does not exist that the outcome of the trial would have been different had
counsel sought to suppress Chang’s photo identification of Petitioner. Accordingly, ground two is
denied pursuant to section 2254(d).
C.
Ground Three
Petitioner maintains counsel rendered ineffective assistance by failing to challenge
Chang’s voice identification of him. (Doc. 1 at 11-13). In support of this ground, Petitioner
complains that Chang’s voice identification at trial was unduly suggestive because Petitioner was
the sole person to give a voice exemplar. (Id.).
Petitioner raised this ground in his Rule 3.850 motion. The state court denied relief
pursuant to Strickland. (Doc. 6-1 at 42-43). The state court noted that Chang’s voice identification
of Petitioner was based on her familiarity of him coupled with his appearance. (Id.). The state court
reasoned, therefore, that her voice identification was reliable and counsel had no viable basis on
which to challenge it. (Id.). The Fifth DCA affirmed per curiam. (Doc. 6-1 at 102).
Petitioner has not established that the state court’s denial of this ground is contrary to, or
an unreasonable application of, clearly established federal law. As discussed supra, Chang
identified Petitioner at the time of the offense as the perpetrator based on her long-term familiarity
with his deep, scratchy voice and his appearance. In other words, from the time the offense was
committed, Chang was unequivocal that Petitioner was the perpetrator based on her knowledge of
him. Therefore, Petitioner has not shown that Chang’s voice identification at trial was unreliable,
and assuming counsel had challenged the voice identification, Petitioner has not shown that such
a challenge would have been successful. Finally, the State presented additional evidence of
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Petitioner’s guilt that was substantial. Thus, counsel was not deficient for failing to challenge
Chang’s voice identification at trial of Petitioner, and a reasonable probability does not exist that
the outcome of the trial would have been different had counsel done so. Accordingly, ground three
is denied pursuant to section 2254(d).
D.
Ground Four
Petitioner asserts counsel rendered ineffective assistance by failing to call James Cox
(“Cox”) and Pablo Soto (“Soto”) as witnesses. (Doc. 1 at 14-17). Petitioner contends that Cox
could have testified that he observed the perpetrator and his car and that neither Petitioner nor his
car matched Cox’s description. (Id. at 14-16). Petitioner further argues that Soto could have
testified that when he bought Petitioner’s Honda Accord months after the offense, the car could
not go over ten miles per hour because it had a bad TSP sensor. 5 (Id. at 17).
Petitioner raised this ground in the state court. The state court denied relief pursuant to
Strickland. (Doc. 6-1 at 43). The state court reasoned that Soto’s testimony that the car did not go
over ten miles per hour months after the offense was irrelevant. (Id.).The state court also reasoned
that Petitioner failed to demonstrate that Cox’s testimony regarding the damage to the perpetrator’s
car was so unique as to prove it was not Petitioner’s vehicle. (Id.). The state court further
determined the evidence that a car of the same make and model with a for-sale sign in the window
was observed at Petitioner’s home shortly after the offense would not likely have been undermined
by other witnesses’ testimony concerning the amount of damage to the perpetrator’s vehicle. (Id.).
The state court did not explicitly address Petitioner’s ground as it related to Cox’s description of
the perpetrator. (Id.). The Fifth DCA affirmed per curiam. (Doc. 6-1 at 102).
5
Petitioner also notes that his son told law enforcement shortly after the incident that the
car would not exceed ten miles per hour. See Doc. 1 at 16-17. Petitioner, however, does not contend
that counsel was ineffective for failing to call his son to testify. See id.
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The record reflects that Cox gave a statement to police in which he said he saw a Hispanic
male, in his early twenties, about 5’6” tall and weighing approximately 130 pounds, wearing a
yellow shirt over his face near the convenience store. (Doc. 6 at 29). Cox said he did not see the
individual’s face. (Id.). Although Cox indicated that the person he observed looked younger than
Petitioner and weighed more than Petitioner, Cox did not see the individual’s face. In addition,
Cox’s statement reflects that his description of the individual’s height and weight were estimates.
Most importantly, Chang identified Petitioner by his voice and appearance based on her familiarity
with him from three years of weekly interactions, and Travis, who saw Petitioner’s face, identified
him with ninety percent certainty. Therefore, a reasonable probability does not exist that Cox’s
testimony regarding the appearance of the perpetrator would have resulted in a different outcome
had he been called as a witness.
Likewise, Cox’s statement that the perpetrator was driving an older model Honda Accord
that had a “back vent window” with tape around it, see Doc. 6 at 29, does not undermine Court’s
description of the perpetrator’s getaway vehicle. Similarly, Soto’s attestation that when he bought
Petitioner’s Honda Accord months after the offense, it could not exceed ten miles per hour, does
not establish that the car could not do so at the time of the offense. Moreover, there was no evidence
presented at trial regarding the speed the car was traveling when it left the scene of the offense.
See Doc. 6 at 261-77.
Finally, the jury heard evidence from which it could have concluded that Petitioner’s
vehicle was not the one used in the offense, namely that Court told police that the perpetrator’s
vehicle was a two door versus a four door. Even assuming Cox and Soto’s testimony would have
cast further doubt on whether Petitioner’s Honda Accord was used in the offense, Chang and Travis
identified Petitioner as the perpetrator. In sum, Petitioner has not demonstrated that counsel was
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deficient for failing to call Cox and Soto as witnesses nor has he established a reasonable
probability exists that the outcome of the trial would have been different had counsel done so.
Accordingly, ground four is denied.
E.
Ground Five
Petitioner contends counsel rendered ineffective assistance by failing to object and move
for a mistrial when Chang testified that Petitioner was in jail prior to trial. (Doc. 1 at 18-20).
According to Petitioner, Chang’s testimony was inadmissible evidence of prior bad acts. (Id.).
Petitioner raised this ground in his Rule 3.850 motion. The state court denied relief
pursuant to Strickland. (Doc.6-1 at 44-45). The state court noted that generally testimony that a
defendant has been in jail or is in jail is inadmissible and subject to objection. (Id.). The state court
determined, therefore, that counsel could have objected to Chang’s statement but concluded that
no prejudice resulted from counsel’s failure to do so. (Id. at 44-45). The state court reasoned that
under Florida law a mistrial may be granted only when the error is so prejudicial as to vitiate the
entire trial and Chang’s single statement did not warrant a mistrial. (Id. at 44). The state court
recognized that had counsel objected, a curative instruction would have been given. The state court
determined that Petitioner had not demonstrated that a curative instruction would have resulted in
a different outcome because the jury realized Petitioner had been arrested and the “most likely
interpretation the jury made” after hearing Chang’s statement was that he was unable to post bail
pending trial on the attempted robbery charge. (Id. at 44-45). The Fifth DCA affirmed per curiam.
(Id. at 102).
Petitioner has not established that the state court’s denial of this ground is contrary to, or
an unreasonable application of, Strickland. The record reflects that Chang explained on redirect
that she did not want to participate in a controlled telephone call with Petitioner prior to trial
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because she was afraid and “didn’t know at that time he was in jail.” (Doc. 6 at 256). The statement
was isolated, made in explanation to questions initially raised by the defense in cross-examination,
and did not intimate that Petitioner was being held on any other charge than the attempted robbery
charge. Consequently, Petitioner has not shown a reasonable probability exists that the trial court
would have granted a motion for mistrial had counsel requested one.
Moreover, a reasonable attorney may have refrained from objecting to the statement and
requesting a curative instruction because a curative instruction could have emphasized Chang’s
single reference to Petitioner’s incarceration. See, e.g., Castillo v. Sec’y, Fla. Dep’t of Corr., 722
F.3d 1281, 1285 n.2 (11th Cir. 2013) (“The relevant question under Strickland's performance
prong, which calls for an objective inquiry, is whether any reasonable lawyer could have elected
not to object for strategic or tactical reasons, even if the actual defense counsel was not subjectively
motivated by those reasons.”). More importantly, Petitioner has not demonstrated a reasonable
probability exists that the outcome of the trial would have been different had counsel objected
given the strength of the evidence against Petitioner. Therefore, Petitioner has not established
deficient performance or prejudice. Accordingly, ground five is denied pursuant to section
2254(d).
Any of Petitioner’s allegations not specifically addressed herein have been found to be
without merit.
V.
CERTIFICATE OF APPEALABILITY
This Court should grant an application for certificate of appealability (“COA”) only if the
Petitioner makes “a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right.” 28 U.S.C. §
2253(c)(2). To make such a showing “the petitioner must demonstrate that reasonable jurists would
find the district court’s assessment of the constitutional claims debatable or wrong.” Slack v.
McDaniel, 529 U.S. 473, 484 (2000); see also Lamarca v. Sec’y, Dep’t of Corr., 568 F.3d 929,
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934 (11th Cir. 2009). When a district court dismisses a federal habeas petition on procedural
grounds without reaching the underlying constitutional claim, a certificate of appealability should
issue only when a petitioner shows “that jurists of reason would find it debatable whether the
petition states a valid claim of the denial of a constitutional right and that jurists of reason would
find it debatable whether the district court was correct in its procedural ruling.” Id.; Lamarca, 568
F.3d at 934. However, a prisoner need not show that the appeal will succeed. Miller-El v. Cockrell,
537 U.S. 322, 337 (2003).
Petitioner has not demonstrated that reasonable jurists would find the Court’s assessment
of his grounds debatable or wrong. Thus, the Court will deny Petitioner a COA.
For the foregoing reasons, it is ORDERED AND ADJUDGED as follows:
1.
The Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus (Doc. 1) filed by Arturo Rosa is DENIED,
and this case is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.
2.
Petitioner is DENIED a COA.
3.
The Clerk of the Court is directed to enter judgment accordingly and to close this
case.
DONE AND ORDERED in Orlando, Florida, this 13th day of February, 2017.
Copies to:
Arturo Rosa
Counsel of Record
Page 16 of 16
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