Davis v. State (928 So. 2d 1089, 2005)

PER CURIAM.

Mark Allen Davis appeals an order of the circuit court denying his motion for postconviction relief under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.850. Davis also petitions the Court for a writ of habeas corpus. We have jurisdiction. See art. V, § 3(b)(1), (9), Fla. Const.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Davis was convicted of robbery, grand theft, and the first-degree murder of Orville Landis. See Davis v. State, 586 So.2d 1038, 1039 (Fla.1991), vacated, 505 U.S. 1216, 112 S.Ct. 3021, 120 L.Ed.2d 893 (1992). The jury, by a vote of eight to four, recommended the death penalty. See id. Following that recommendation, the trial judge sentenced Davis to life in prison on the robbery conviction, five years on the grand theft conviction, and death for the first-degree murder conviction. On direct appeal, we affirmed Davis’s conviction for first-degree murder and death sentence. See id. at 1042. In affirming Davis’s conviction and sentence, we detailed the facts surrounding the murder of Landis:

[Davis] came to St. Petersburg, Florida, during late June 1985, and immediately prior to the murder of Orville Lan-dis apparently had been living in the parking lot of Gandy Efficiency Apartments. On July 1, 1985, Landis was moving into one of the apartments, and [Davis] offered to assist him. Subsequent to moving, the two men began drinking beer together, and [Davis] borrowed money from Landis. Witnesses testified that Landis had approximately $500 in cash that day. [Davis] told Kimberly Rieck, a resident of the apartment complex, that he planned to get Landis drunk and “see what he could get out of him.” During approximately the same time, [Davis] told Beverly Castle, another resident, that he was going to “rip him [Landis] off and do him in.” Shortly thereafter, Landis and [Davis] were seen arguing about money and they went to Landis’ apartment.

Landis was last seen alive on July 1, 1985, at approximately 8:30 p.m. Castle testified that [Davis] appeared at her door at about midnight and told her that he had to leave town right away, and would not be seen for two or three years. Castle observed [Davis] driving away in Landis’ car. During the afternoon of July 2, Castle became concerned and had Landis’ apartment window opened, through which she observed him lying on his bed in a pool of blood.

When the police arrived they found Landis’ wallet empty of all but a dollar bill. A fingerprint found on a beer can in the apartment was later identified as [Davis’s]. The medical examiner testified that the victim sustained multiple stab wounds to the back, chest, and neck; multiple blows to the face; was choked or hit with sufficient force to break his hyoid bone; was intoxicated to a degree that impaired his ability to defend himself; and was alive and conscious when each injury was inflicted. The evidence showed that the slashes to the victim’s throat were made with a small-bladed knife, which was broken during the attack, and the wounds to the chest and back were made with a large butcher knife, found at the crime scene.

[Davis] confessed to the police to the killing, as well as to the taking of Lan-dis’ money and car. He also told a fellow inmate that he killed Landis but expected to “get second degree,” despite his confession, by claiming self-defense.

Id. at 1040.

At the penalty phase, the State presented one witness, Detective Craig Salmon, a police officer in Pekin, Illinois. Salmon provided testimony relating to Davis’s pri- or offense of attempted armed robbery in Illinois in 1980, which was used in part to provide the basis for the prior violent felony aggravator. Davis was the only witness to testify at the penalty phase on his behalf. The jury voted eight to four' in favor of the death penalty. See id.

In sentencing Davis to death, the trial judge found three aggravating circumstances — that the murder was committed while Davis was under a sentence of imprisonment; that the murder was especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel (“HAC”); and that the murder was committed in a cold, calculated, and premeditated manner without any pretense of moral or legal justification (“CCP”). The trial court also found the following aggravators, but considered them collectively as constituting only one aggravating circumstance: that the murder was committed for pecuniary gain, that Davis had previously been convicted of another capital offense or felony involving the use of or threat of violence to some person, and that the murder was committed while Davis was engaged in the commission of a robbery. The trial court found no mitigating circumstances.

On direct appeal, we affirmed Davis’s murder conviction and death sentence. See Davis, 586 So.2d at 1042. In our opinion, we rejected Davis’s claim that several comments made during trial by the State constituted impermissible comment. See id. at 1041. With regard to Davis’s assertion that he was absent from the courtroom when jury challenges were exercised, we noted that this issue was remanded for a hearing to determine the applicable facts and that the trial judge’s finding that Davis was in the courtroom at the relevant time was supported by competent substantial evidence, thereby rendering Davis’s claim untenable. See id. Regarding Davis’s other claims presented on direct appeal, we denied relief on all of them.' See id. at 1040-41.

In June of 1992, the United States Supreme Court granted certiorari and vacab-ed the judgment of this Court, remanding the case for further consideration in light of the High Court’s opinion in Espinosa v. Florida, 505 U.S. 1079, 112 S.Ct. 2926, 120 L.Ed.2d 854 (1992). See Davis v. Florida, 505 U.S. 1216, 112 S.Ct. 3021, 120 L.Ed.2d 893 (1992). On remand, we reaffirmed Davis’s death sentence, determining that the Espinosa issue was proeedurally barred because vagueness of the instruction was not presented to the trial judge and that had the issue been presented, any error would have been harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. See Davis v. State, 620 So.2d 152 (Fla.1993). In February of 1994, certiorari was denied by the United States Supreme Court. See Davis v. Florida, 510 U.S. 1170, 114 S.Ct. 1205, 127 L.Ed.2d 552 (1994).

MOTION FOR POSTCONVICTION RELIEF

On May 4, 2000, Davis filed an amended rule 3.850 motion. On June 28, 2000, the trial court held a Huff hearing to determine whether an evidentiary hearing on any of Davis’s claims was warranted. On October 4, 2001, the trial court issued an order reflecting its determination that an evidentiary hearing was required to address eight of Davis’s claims. The trial court determined that Davis was not entitled to an evidentiary hearing on his remaining thirty-three claims. Subsequent to the evidentiary hearing, the trial court denied all of Davis’s claims for postconviction relief, concluding that Davis had either failed to prove his claims or that there was insufficient evidence to support the claims and, therefore, the claims were meritless. This appeal followed.

I. Ineffective Assistance of Counsel at the Penalty Phase

Davis claims that his trial counsel, John Thor White (hereinafter “White”), provided ineffective assistance during the penalty phase. Following the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984), we have previously held that

[a] claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, to be considered meritorious, must include two general components. First, the claimant must identify particular acts or omissions of the lawyer that are shown to be outside the broad range of reasonably competent performance under prevailing professional standards. Second, the clear, substantial deficiency shown must further be demonstrated to have so affected the fairness and reliability of the proceeding that confidence in the outcome is undermined. Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984); Downs v. State, 453 So.2d 1102 (Fla.1984). A court considering a claim of ineffectiveness of counsel need not make a specific ruling on the performance component of the test when it is clear that the prejudice component is not satisfied.

Maxwell v. Wainwright, 490 So.2d 927, 932 (Fla.1986). The alleged ineffective assistance of counsel claim is a mixed question of law and fact, subject to plenary review based on Strickland. See Stephens v. State, 748 So.2d 1028, 1032 (Fla.1999). Under this standard, we conduct an independent review of the trial court’s legal conclusions, while giving deference to the factual findings. See id. at 1032-33.

There is a strong presumption that trial counsel’s performance was not ineffective. See Strickland, 466 U.S. at 690, 104 S.Ct. 2052. A fair assessment of attorney performance requires that every effort be made to eliminate the distorting effects of hindsight, to reconstruct the circumstances of counsel’s challenged conduct, and to evaluate the conduct from counsel’s perspective at the time. See id. at 689, 104 S.Ct. 2052. The defendant carries the burden to “overcome the presumption that, under the circumstances, the challenged action ‘might be considered sound trial strategy.’ ” Id. (quoting Michel v. Louisiana, 350 U.S. 91, 101, 76 S.Ct. 158, 100 L.Ed. 83 (1955)). “Judicial scrutiny of counsel’s performance must be highly deferential.” Strickland, 466 U.S. at 689, 104 S.Ct. 2052.

A. Davis’s Background and Upbringing

Davis contends that his trial counsel was ineffective at his penalty phase because his trial counsel only began preparing for the penalty phase after the jury found Davis guilty, trial counsel’s billing records indicated that he spent less than eleven hours preparing for the penalty phase, the only ■investigation conducted by trial counsel was an interview of Davis and Davis’s mother the day before the penalty phase, and trial counsel admitted that he never contemplated calling anyone other than Davis’s mother to testify at the penalty phase. As to the timing and amount of trial counsel’s preparation for Davis’s penalty phase, we have held that “the finding as to whether counsel was adequately prepared does not revolve solely around the amount of time counsel spends on the case or the number of days which he or she spends preparing for mitigation. Instead, this must be a case-by-case analysis.” State v. Lewis, 838 So.2d 1102, 1113 n. 9 (Fla.2002). Accordingly, a comparison of the evidence presented at the penalty phase with the evidence presented at Davis’s postconviction evidentiary hearing is essential in assessing counsel’s performance. ■

At the penalty phase, trial counsel only presented the testimony of Davis. Trial counsel testified at the evidentiary hearing that it was his strategy to present Davis’s mother to testify with regard to the circumstances surrounding his upbringing. However, Davis’s mother never testified due to Davis’s last-minute decision that she not be called as a witness to avoid forcing her through the trauma of trial testimony. Faced with this last-minute decision, trial counsel suggested an alternative approach, with the full agreement of Davis, whereby he would take the stand 'at the penalty phase in lieu of his mother. During Davis’s testimony, trial counsel elicited only a very general description of his family background and upbringing. Davis also testified that he “wished to hell [the crime] had never happened” and that he had made the conscious decision not to call his mother to testify at the penalty phase to spare her the pain of that experience. Trial counsel used this testimony to Davis’s advantage by arguing to the jury in closing that “Davis had the guts and decency not to put [his mother] up there in the box” and that his decision not to call his mother “was a profound gesture on his part and one worthy of consideration.”

When trial counsel was asked at the evidentiary hearing why a more complete history had not been elicited from Davis during his testimony he responded that Davis told him he “did not want mitigating evidence presented” and said, “I want the electric chair. I want to stay alive ten or eleven years on death row. That’s good enough for me.” Faced with these statements from Davis and Davis’s decision not to have his mother testify at the penalty phase, trial counsel reasonably determined that his best alternative was to have Davis testify in an effort to place before the jury Davis’s decision to spare his mother the trauma of being forced to testify. Given the last-minute circumstances and the predicament that trial counsel faced as a result of Davis’s decision and instruction that his mother not testify, we conclude that trial counsel’s actions were not unreasonable, and that counsel was not deficient for selecting an alternative and making the best strategic decision available under a most difficult situation that had been created by Davis himself.

Davis also alleges that trial counsel’s inadequate investigation resulted in his failure to discover a wealth of available mitigating evidence and that the mitigation of which trial counsel was aware was never presented at the penalty phase. Davis now alleges that by interviewing his family

members and friends, trial counsel would have learned that each person had different details to convey that would have provided mitigating information. Specifically, Davis asserts that evidence of his tragic upbringing and substance abuse should have been presented.

Pursuant to Strickland, trial counsel has an obligation to conduct a reasonable investigation into mitigation. See Strickland, 466 U.S. at 691, 104 S.Ct. 2052. When evaluating claims that counsel was ineffective for failing to investigate or present mitigating evidence, this Court has phrased the defendant’s burden as showing that counsel’s ineffectiveness “deprived the defendant of a reliable penalty phase proceeding.” Asay v. State, 769 So.2d 974, 985 (Fla.2000) (quoting Rutherford v. State, 727 So.2d 216, 223 (Fla.1998)). Moreover, as the United States Supreme Court recently stated in Wiggins v. Smith, 539 U.S. 510, 123 S.Ct. 2527, 156 L.Ed.2d 471 (2003):

[C]ounsel has a duty to make reasonable investigations or to make a reasonable decision that makes particular investigations unnecessary.... [A]

particular decision not to investigate must be directly assessed for reasonableness in all the circumstances, applying a heavy measure of deference to counsel’s judgments.

... [0]ur principal concern in deciding whether [counsel] exercised “reasonable professional judgmen[t]” is not whether counsel should have presented a mitigation case. Rather, we focus on whether the investigation supporting counsel’s decision not to introduce mitigating evidence ... was itself reasonable. In assessing counsel’s investigation, we must conduct an objective review of their performance, measured for “reasonableness under prevailing professional norms,” which includes a context-dependent consideration of the challenged conduct as seen “from counsel’s perspective at the time.”

Id. at 521-23, 123 S.Ct. 2527 (citations omitted) (fifth alteration in original) (first emphasis supplied) (quoting Strickland, 466 U.S. at 688-89, 691, 104 S.Ct. 2052).

Davis’s trial counsel testified at the evi-dentiary hearing that he was aware of Davis’s difficult upbringing and the circumstances surrounding his family life and that it was his strategy at the penalty phase to call Davis’s mother to testify regarding those facts. We find it significant that Davis’s trial counsel had the full benefit of information obtained by the public defender’s office, which included matters pertaining to Davis’s background and upbringing. Specifically, trial counsel testified at the evidentiary hearing that the file he received from the public defender’s office in Davis’s case already contained records regarding his medical history, educational background, and other general background information surrounding his life. Moreover, trial counsel testified that he interviewed Davis and Davis’s mother to gain an understanding of his life. Based on the information in the public defender’s file that was reviewed and considered by trial counsel coupled with the additional information garnered by trial counsel through interviews of Davis’s mother and Davis, we conclude that the investigation into Davis’s background for mitigating evidence that was conducted here was neither inadequate nor unreasonable.

The United States Supreme Court’s decision in Rompilla v. Beard, 545 U.S. 374, 125 S.Ct. 2456, 162 L.Ed.2d 360 (2005), its most recent discussion of this issue, does not require a different conclusion. In Rompilla, the High Court concluded that defense counsel’s conduct in preparation for the sentencing phase fell below the level of reasonable performance that is required by Wiggins and Strickland where defense counsel failed to review the court file on Rompilla’s prior conviction. See id. at 2463-64. The Court stressed that it was not creating a-per se rule requiring defense counsel to “do a complete review of the file on any prior conviction.” Id. at 2467. Rather, the Court noted that the facts before it demonstrated that

[c]ounsel knew that the Commonwealth intended to seek the death penalty by proving Rompilla had a significant history of felony convictions indicating the use or threat of violence, an aggravator under state law. Counsel further knew that the Commonwealth would attempt to establish this history by .proving Rompilla’s prior conviction for rape and assault, and would emphasize his violent character by introducing a transcript of the rape victim’s testimony given in that earlier trial. There is no question that defense counsel were on notice, since they acknowledge that a “plea letter,” written by one of them four days prior to trial, mentioned the prosecutor’s plans. It is also, undisputed that the prior conviction file was a public document, readily available for the asking at the very courthouse where Rompilla was to be tried.

Id. at 2464 (citations omitted). In concluding that trial counsel’s performance was deficient, the Court noted that “counsel did not look at any part of that file, including the transcript, until warned by the prosecution a second time,” the day before the evidentiary sentencing phase began. Id. Although the facts of Rompilla led the Court to the conclusion that defense counsel’s performance was unreasonable, the Court held that “[o]ther situations, where a defense lawyer is not charged with knowledge that the prosecutor intends to use a prior conviction in this way, might well warrant a different assessment.” Id. at 2467.

The facts of the instant matter are entirely distinguishable from those present in Rompilla. As noted above, defense counsel in the present case reviewed all of the materials that were in his possession in preparation'for Davis’s penalty phase trial. Moreover, unlike Rompilla, there is no indication that 'there was material here that trial counsel was aware the State was going to use in aggravation that was not obtained and reviewed by trial counsel pri- or to the penalty phase trial. Moreover, unlike defense counsel in Rompilla, Davis’s trial counsel reviewed records in the public defender’s file transmitted to him regarding Davis’s medical history, educational background, and other general background information surrounding his life. A thorough reading of the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Rom-pilla reveals that it is inapplicable to the facts of the instant matter. Unlike defense counsel’s deficient performance in Rompilla, trial counsel’s investigation in the instant matter was within the level of reasonable performance that is required by Strickland’ and Wiggins. See Rompilla, 125 S.Ct. at 2463 (“[T]he duty to investigate does not force defense lawyers to scour the globe on the off-chance something will turn up; reasonably diligent counsel may draw a line when they have good reason to think further investigation would be a waste.”) (citing Wiggins, 539 U.S. at 525, 123 S.Ct. 2527; Strickland, 466 U.S. at 699, 104 S.Ct. 2052).

Moreover, a review of the mitigating evidence presented at the evidentiary hearing in this posttrial review demonstrates that the matters now asserted were either cumulative to that which trial counsel anticipated presenting through Davis’s mother or exposed negative information pertaining to Davis’s prior criminal conduct and drug abuse — topics trial counsel made a reasonable strategic decision to avoid. Trial counsel was fully aware of the pertinent information these witnesses possessed and any testimony that could have been elicited from these witnesses at the penalty phase would have been cumulative to the anticipated testimony of Davis’s mother. Therefore, at the time of trial, once counsel secured Davis’s mother to testify with regard to all of the pertinent information, his decision to forego further pursuit of other members of Davis’s family and friends was not an unreasonable decision or approach. See Ventura v. State, 794 So.2d 553, 570 (Fla.2001) (finding that penalty phase counsel was not deficient for failing to procure the testimony of witnesses for the penalty phase whose testimony would have mirrored the testimony that was offered at that proceeding); Downs v. State, 740 So.2d 506, 516 (Fla.1999) (affirming the trial court’s denial of the defendant’s claims that counsel was ineffective for failing to investigate and present additional mitigating evidence where the additional evidence was cumulative to that presented during sentencing); Rutherford, v. State, 727 So.2d 216, 224-25 (Fla.1998) (same); Valle v. State, 705 So.2d 1331, 1334-35 (Fla.1997) (same).

Trial counsel testified at the evi-dentiary hearing that it was also his strategy to avoid presenting potentially mitigating evidence that carried negative factors that would cast Davis in a negative light before the jury. Specifically, trial counsel agreed that he would not have wanted to use “information about [Davis] being troubled, becoming] a drug addict.” Trial counsel was well aware of Davis’s alcohol and substance abuse problems, as he testified with regard to his review of Davis’s mental health report, which contained such information. Therefore, the substance of the testimony offered at the evidentiary hearing regarding this subject was known to trial counsel at the time of the penalty phase. Davis’s trial counsel was not ineffective in exercising his decision to discontinue further investigation into matters that were already known to him and that he had strategically determined should not be presented to the jury. See Wiggins, 539 U.S. at 521-22, 123 S.Ct. 2527 (“[A] particular decision not to investigate must be directly assessed for reasonableness in all the circumstances, applying a heavy measure of deference to counsel’s judgments.”) (quoting Strickland, 466 U.S. at 691, 104 S.Ct. 2052); see also Ruffin v. State, 420 So.2d 591, 593 (Fla.1982) (concluding that the Court should not use hindsight to second-guess counsel’s strategy).

Additionally, facts presented through the testimony of Davis’s family members and friends at the evidentiary hearing regarding his family’s poor economic situation and his father’s abusive behavior and alcoholism were known to trial counsel through Davis and Davis’s mother, and were therefore cumulative to that which trial counsel anticipated presenting through Davis’s mother’s testimony. In fact, several witnesses presented by Davis at the evidentiary hearing testified and recognized that Davis’s mother would have been totally aware of the substance of their testimony and that she probably would have been even more familiar with all of those facts than the witnesses themselves. Given that trial counsel was aware of this information, we cannot conclude that trial counsel’s investigation fell below the objective standard of reasonableness by which attorney performance is measured. See Wiggins, 539 U.S. at 521, 123 S.Ct. 2527. We conclude that counsel was not deficient in making the decision not to interview these witnesses when the information they testified to at the evidentiary hearing was already known to trial counsel at the time of the penalty phase. See Strickland, 466 U.S. at 691, 104 S.Ct. 2052. Moreover, with regard to the testimony of Davis’s older brother Michael, we agree with the trial court’s observation that this “witness grew up in the same household under the same circumstances as the defendant. And yet, he overcame this and established a stable life. The jury would have contrasted this with the defendant’s lack of effort to overcome his circumstances.” Davis has failed to establish how his trial counsel’s performance was deficient in relation to the above witnesses.

Postconviction counsel’s presentation of Tracy Davis (“Tracy”), Davis’s second-oldest brother, merits special attention. Tracy testified at the evidentiary hearing with regard to the financial circumstances of his family, his father’s alcoholism, and his father’s abusive behavior, physically and mentally, towards his family. Additionally, Tracy testified that Davis was developing a drug habit and that he felt responsible for getting Davis involved with drugs and into trouble with the law. Tracy also admitted to having anally raped Davis when Davis was approximately six years old.

The trial court determined that Tracy would not have been available to testify at Davis’s penalty phase. Our review of that determination on this record reveals that Tracy’s testimony regarding his availability was unclear at best. On cross-examination, Tracy stated that he was not sure if his family knew how to contact him during Davis’s trial because he was on the run from a parole violation. However, Tracy stated that he would have come to Florida to testify even though he would have faced the possibility of being arrested and extradited back to Illinois. We conclude that the trial court’s finding that Tracy was unavailable to testify at the time of Davis’s penalty phase is adequately supported by competent evidence in the record.

Moreover, even if we were to conclude that Tracy was available to testify at the penalty phase, the record demonstrates that White was not deficient for failing to secure his testimony. Similar to other members of Davis’s family, the majority of Tracy’s testimony regarding Davis’s home life and his father’s substance abuse and abusive behavior was already known to White through Davis and his mother. White anticipated calling Davis’s mother to testify to these facts at the penalty phase. We conclude that trial counsel’s performance was not deficient for failing to secure this additional witness to provide testimony that would have been cumulative to that which he anticipated eliciting from Davis’s mother. As to Tracy’s testimony regarding Davis’s substance abuse and criminal activity, Davis has failed to show that his attorney would have presented that testimony at the penalty phase given his strategic decision to avoid revealing such negative information to the jury.

With regard to Tracy’s testimony that he anally raped Davis when Davis was six, the trial court accurately noted that this testimony was “suspect at best.” Moreover, Davis never mentioned this information at any time to his trial counsel or his mental health expert, and no other member of the family seemed to know anything about this subject. In fact, Davis specifically denied having ever been sexually molested as a child or in prison when asked by his mental health expert. We cannot conclude that trial counsel was deficient for failing to pursue such mitigation when Davis himself failed to inform either counsel or mental health experts about this matter. See Stewart v. State, 801 So.2d 59, 67 (Fla.2001) (holding that the defendant’s failure to communicate instances of childhood abuse to defense counsel or defense psychiatrist precludes claim that counsel was deficient for failing to pursue such mitigation). In summary, we hold that trial counsel was not deficient for failing to secure Tracy’s testimony, considering that the information regarding Davis’s upbringing was known to his mother, that Davis has not shown that Tracy was available to testify at the time of his penalty phase, that trial counsel’s strategy was to avoid presenting negative information regarding Davis, and that Davis in fact denied prior sexual abuse.

Moreover, even if we were to assume that trial counsel was ineffective in performance and investigation, Davis has totally failed to establish the required element that his trial counsel’s performance prejudiced him. In its sentencing order, the trial court found four aggravating factors and no mitigating circumstances. Given the facts of the crime and the overwhelming aggravating factors that were found to exist, along with the absence of mitigating circumstances, our confidence in the outcome of the proceedings below has not been undermined as Davis has totally failed to establish “a reasonable probability that, but for counsel’s unprofessional errors, the result of the proceeding would have been different.” Strickland, 466 U.S. at 694, 104 S.Ct. 2052; see also Hodges v. State, 885 So.2d 338, 350-51 (Fla.2004) (affirming death sentence even in light of posteonviction evidence regarding defendant’s impoverished and abusive upbringing where trial court found two aggrava-tors, that the murder was committed to disrupt or hinder law enforcement and CCP); Asay v. State, 769 So.2d 974, 988 (Fla.2000) (holding that there was no reasonable probability that evidence of the defendant’s abusive childhood and history of substance abuse would have led to a recommendation of life where the State established three aggravators: the murder was committed by a person under sentence of imprisonment; defendant had been previously convicted of a capital felony; and CCP); Breedlove v. State, 692 So.2d 874, 878 (Fla.1997) (holding that the aggravating circumstances of prior violent felony, murder committed during the course of a burglary, and HAC overwhelmed the mitigation testimony presented concerning childhood beatings and alcohol abuse).

B. Mental Health Mitigation

Davis claims that his trial counsel was deficient for failing to adequately investigate and prepare mental health mitigation as well as for failing to present mental health mitigation that was available. Prior to trial, Davis’s trial counsel engaged Dr. David C. Diffendale to perform a mental health evaluation of Davis and to prepare a report summarizing his findings regarding both Davis’s competency to stand trial and other issues relevant to sentencing. At the evidentiary hearing, trial counsel testified that in his opinion the report would not have been helpful in establishing an intoxication defense or in negating specific intent. Additionally, trial counsel testified that the report contained information describing Davis’s violent nature and concluding that he had a pattern of excessive violence. Trial counsel summed up his reasons for not presenting the report when he testified that after evaluating the report he

didn’t think that Dr. Diffendale’s report was favorable to the defendant.... I mean he found that my fellow client didn’t suffer any psychosis, any major mental problems, you know. He gave a very negative history ... that would put my client in a very negative light, in my judgment.... I felt that Dr. Diffendale was useless, as a witness. He was more negative than positive.

The language contained within the report supports trial counsel’s decision not to present the report. The report, in pertinent part, notes Davis’s

explosive, impulsive anger. He has a history of over-responding with violent anger when sexually approached by males in jail. When asked, he reported continuing to beat others who had approached him long after they had ceased struggling. He reports “loosing (sic) it” when he feels threatened. This mode of behavior may explain the excessive stab wounds.

In the sentencing recommendation portion, the report states that

[a]id for sentencing is difficult in this evaluation. His response to the situation leading to the victim’s death is understandable given the defendant’s family history, jail experiences, psychological make-up and intoxication. These circumstances might lead to recommending a lesser sentence. Further jail will more likely reinforce the behaviors that lead [sic] to the current crime. However, he has been involved with breaking the law for ten of his twenty three years. Thus, his sentence should be stiffer. In this section I usually recommend some realistic form of rehabilitation. I do not find any such available for this case within the constraints of the criminal justice system.

(Emphasis supplied.) Although the report does contain some potentially mitigating evidence regarding Davis’s troubled upbringing and his father’s abusive behavior, we determine that trial counsel’s strategy of not presenting the report to the jury was reasonable given the highly negative information that was also contained in the report. Therefore, we hold that Davis’s trial counsel was not deficient for failing to present Dr. Diffendale’s report to the jury and that Davis’s claim was properly denied. See Hodges, 885 So.2d at 348 (“In light of evidence demonstrating that counsel pursued mental health mitigation and received unusable or unfavorable reports, the decision .not to present the experts’ findings does not constitute ineffective assistance of counsel.”).

C. Other Mitigation

Davis asserts that his trial counsel was deficient for failing to present mitigating evidence concerning his good behavior during his previous incarceration to rebut the State’s cross-examination of him concerning his involvement in escape attempts. The record reflects that trial counsel elicited testimony from Davis at the penalty phase that he had the will to live under the circumstances of confinement without being disruptive if he were given a life sentence. Based on our review of the record, it is apparent that trial counsel did in fact attempt to establish Davis’s ability to live in confinement by establishing that he had been able to do so in the past without a problem and was willing to do so in the future. We conclude that Davis’s claim is not supported by the record.

Next, Davis asserts that his trial counsel failed to present evidence to negate the existence of the “cold, calculated and premeditated” state of mind or evidence of justification. Davis fails to specify what evidence trial counsel should have presented other than that related to his alleged intoxication on the night of the offense, which would have undermined his ability to form the intent necessary to establish CCP. Contrary to Davis’s assertion, however, his trial counsel did present evidence of Davis’s intoxication on the night of the crime through cross-examination of State witnesses Kimberly Rieck and Beverly Castle. As this evidence was placed before the jury by Davis’s trial counsel, this claim is without merit.

Even if we were to conclude that White’s penalty phase performance, in its totality, was deficient, which we do not, Davis has failed to demonstrate that he was prejudiced by that performance. Given the significant aggravating circumstances and the complete lack of mitigation, White’s performance did not so affect the fairness and reliability of the proceeding that confidence in the outcome is undermined. See Maxwell, 490 So.2d at 932 (citing Strickland, 466 U.S. at 668, 104 S.Ct. 2052).

II. Brady and Giglio Claims

Davis asserts that his due process rights were violated as a result of the State withholding material exculpatory evidence or presenting false evidence at trial or both. The State is required to disclose material information within its possession or control that tends to negate .the guilt of the defendant. See Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83, 87, 83 S.Ct. 1194, 10 L.Ed.2d 215 (1963); Guzman v. State, 868 So.2d 498, 508 (Fla.2003). Errors involving the suppression of evidence in violation of Brady present issues of constitutional magnitude. See Cardona v. State, 826 So.2d 968, 973 (Fla.2002). As expressed in Brady, the rule is premised on the principle that reversal is warranted when the State fails to disclose to the defense exculpatory or impeaching evidence that prejudices the defendant, thereby undermining confidence that he received a fair trial. See Cardona, 826 So.2d at 972-73 (quoting Brady, 373 U.S. at 87-88, 83 S.Ct. 1194).

To establish a Brady violation, a defendant must demonstrate: “(1) the State possessed evidence favorable to the accused because it was either exculpatory or impeaching; (2) the State willfully or inadvertently suppressed the evidence; and (3) the defendant was prejudiced.” Allen v. State, 854 So.2d 1255, 1259 (Fla.2003) (citing Strickler v. Greene, 527 U.S. 263, 281-82, 119 S.Ct. 1936, 144 L.Ed.2d 286 (1999)); see also Banks v. Dretke, 540 U.S. 668, 690-91, 124 S.Ct. 1256, 157 L.Ed.2d 1166 (2004). Prejudice is established when a defendant demonstrates that the suppressed evidence was material. See Allen, 854 So.2d at 1260. Evidence is material “if there is a reasonable probability that, had the evidence been disclosed to the defense, the result of the proceeding would have been different.” Strickler, 527 U.S. at 280, 119 S.Ct. 1936 (quoting United States v. Bagley, 473 U.S. 667, 682, 105 S.Ct. 3375, 87 L.Ed.2d 481 (1985)). The United States Supreme Court has defined “reasonable probability” as “a probability sufficient to undermine confidence in the outcome.” Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 694, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984); see also Bagley, 473 U.S. at 682, 105 S.Ct. 3375 (expressly applying the Strickland formulation of “reasonable probability” to Brady cases). The determination of whether a Brady violation has occurred is subject to independent appellate review. See Cardona, 826 So.2d at 973. Each of Davis’s alleged Brady violations must therefore be addressed.

Davis asserts that the State admitted to “Millerizing” police reports that were provided to his trial counsel in discovery. The term “Millerizing” refers to the practice employed by the State Attorney’s office at the time of Davis’s trial whereby non-verbatim statements of witnesses contained, within police reports were excised from those reports prior to providing them to defense counsel. However, other than statements made by the State Attorney that the State was “Miller-izing” police reports at the time of Davis’s trial, and testimony by Davis’s trial counsel that he “believed” he received the “Mil-lerized” reports, we find no additional support in the record for Davis’s assertion. The actual police reports that Davis’s trial counsel received were not introduced into evidence and, therefore, we are unable to compare the reports that postconviction counsel received from the State with the reports obtained by trial counsel during discovery. However, for the reasons that follow, even if we were to assume that Davis’s trial counsel did in fact receive the “Millerized” versions of the police reports, Davis’s claim still fails.

Davis alleges that -witnesses’ statements contained in Detective O’Brien’s police report were excised from the report provided to his trial counsel. Specifically, Davis asserts that statements made by Kimberly Rieek, Jean Born, and Glenda South were excised. However, the statements allegedly suppressed by the State were in fact available to Davis’s trial counsel in pretrial deposition testimony. A review of Detective O’Brien’s deposition reveals that his deposition testimony was almost a word-for-word recitation of that which was contained on the face of his written report— including the non-verbatim witnesses’ statements. As the detective’s deposition was available to Davis’s trial counsel, it is clear that there is no support for Davis’s Brady claim. See Occhicone v. State, 768 So.2d 1037, 1042 (Fla.2000) (“[A] Brady claim cannot stand if a defendant knew of the evidence allegedly withheld or had possession of it, simply because the evidence cannot then be found to have been withheld from the defendant.”).

Next, Davis alleges that much of Detective Rhodes’ report, which contained statements from many of the same witnesses, was withheld from his trial counsel. Specifically, Davis refers to statements contained within the report made by Glenda South that in her opinion Davis was an “unstable type person,” one that was “nuts.” This statement is hardly exculpatory and could not have been impeaching as Glenda South was never called as a witness by the State. Davis also refers to portions of the report summarizing statements of George Lee, who encountered Davis in a bar on the evening of the murder. Davis points to summarized statements of Lee that he observed Davis buying “quite a few drinks.” Again, this information does not appear exculpatory in nature and we note that Davis’s trial counsel possessed information that Davis had been drinking on the night of the incident.

Even if the State had failed to disclose all of the above information, Davis has not established that the absence of this information undermines confidence in the outcome of the proceeding. Notably, Davis’s trial counsel testified that he did not want to use these witnesses at trial because it would have caused him to lose the opportunity to present both the first and last closing argument. Moreover, counsel was of the view that he had established evidence of Davis’s intoxication through his cross-examination of the State’s witnesses, a statement that is clearly supported by our review of the trial transcript. Davis has failed to establish that the State committed a Brady violation in relation to the alleged “Millerization” of police reports. We therefore hold that the trial court properly denied this claim.

Next, Davis asserts that the State failed to disclose statements of numerous witnesses contained in a synopsis written by the State Attorney’s Office. Specifically, Davis alleges that the synopsis contained statements of witness Beverly Castle that were inconsistent with her trial testimony and which could have been used for impeachment purposes. However, a review of the trial transcript reveals that Davis’s trial counsel did in fact impeach this witness on the stand with pretrial statements similar to those allegedly suppressed by the State. Moreover, Davis’s trial counsel had the transcript of an oral interview conducted by the police with Castle that contained information almost identical to that contained in the allegedly suppressed synopsis by the State Attorney’s Office. Davis’s trial attorney knew the substance of the allegedly suppressed statements and in fact used those statements to impeach the witness at trial. Davis has failed to establish a Brady violation in relation to this witness’s pretrial statements.

Next, Davis makes a sweeping allegation that the State suppressed statements from several witnesses regarding Davis’s level of intoxication. Even assuming that these statements were suppressed by the State and that the information was exculpatory or impeaching, Davis has failed to establish that he was prejudiced. We agree with trial counsel that he accomplished his goal of placing evidence of intoxication before the jury during his detailed cross-examination of the State’s witnesses. Additionally, trial counsel stated that once he had placed this evidence before the jury, he had no desire to call any other witnesses with information regarding Davis’s intoxication because he did not want to relinquish the ability to present the first and last closing arguments. Given this strategy, we conclude that even if the statements to which Davis refers were not disclosed to his defense team, these witnesses would not have been presented to the jury. Therefore, our confidence in the outcome of the proceeding is not undermined. Davis’s claim was appropriately denied.

Davis next asserts that the State suppressed information regarding a deal that it made with Shannon Stevens in exchange for Stevens testifying against Davis at the trial, resulting in a Brady violation. Davis also alleges that Stevens’ testimony at trial that he was not receiving any benefit or leniency was false, that the State knew his testimony was false, and, by failing to correct this testimony, the State violated Giglio v. United States, 405 U.S. 150, 92 S.Ct. 763, 31 L.Ed.2d 104 (1972). In support of his allegation, Davis points to Stevens’ testimony at the eviden-tiary hearing where, in response to a question as to what the State Attorney had told him regarding reinstatement of his gain time, Stevens stated: “I believe I was told they would see what they could do.” (Emphasis supplied.) Additionally, collateral counsel introduced into evidence at the evidentiary hearing a letter written by the State on behalf of Stevens wherein the State noted that “[i]n light of [Stevens’] cooperation [in Davis’s case], I told Mr. Stevens our Office would request the Department of Corrections to retain, if at all possible, any gain time he has accrued. We would appreciate any consideration you can give in this matter.”

Our review of the record on appeal, and specifically Stevens’ testimony at the postconviction evidentiary hearing, supports the trial court’s denial of this claim. Although the State did send a letter to Stevens’ sentencing judge, Stevens himself testified that there were no deals or promises made. While it may be true that Stevens had the hope that the State would assist him in his effort to secure his gain time, there is no evidence that a deal was in fact made or a promise conclusively extended. Davis points to no support in the record that there was an agreement between Stevens and the State other than the testimony of Stevens that the State told him that they would “see what they could do.” This testimony alone does not establish that there was an agreement made between Stevens and the State. Based on our review of the record, we conclude that Davis has failed to establish that there was in fact a deal between the State and Stevens in exchange for his testimony. Accordingly, both Davis’s Brady and his Giglio claim were properly denied.

Finally, Davis asserts that the State committed a Brady violation by suppressing from his trial counsel the identity of Gary Dolan, a fellow inmate with whom Davis purportedly planned an escape. Do-lan testified at the postconviction eviden-tiary hearing that he was involved in negotiations with the State to assist in several cases, one of which was Davis’s. As a result of these negotiations, Davis contends that the State learned of the purported planned escapes and used that information in cross-examining Davis during the penalty phase. This claim is procedurally barred. The issue was completely developed on the appellate record and was therefore available to be reviewed on direct appeal but was simply not presented. See Rose v. State, 675 So.2d 567, 569 n. 1 (Fla.1996).

Procedural bar notwithstanding, Davis has failed to establish that the State suppressed exculpatory or impeaching evidence. The State Attorney emphatically denied ever making any promises to Dolan in exchange for information on Davis’s case. The trial court below found Dolan’s testimony not to be credible and concluded that Dolan “had no contact with the defendant’s case, had no information to offer the defendant, and the State had no reason to list him as a potential witness or disclose him to the defendant as someone having any relevant information.” Moreover, Davis certainly knew what he had discussed with Dolan and was therefore aware of any information that Dolan may have received to reveal to the State. Based on the foregoing we conclude that this claim was properly denied. See Occhicone, 768 So.2d at 1042.

III. Ineffective Assistance of Counsel at the Guilt Phase

Davis alleges that his trial counsel was ineffective in failing to file a motion to suppress Davis’s statements and motions in limine regarding photos and victim impact information. However, the testimony at the evidentiary hearing does not support Davis’s allegation. White testified that he did not identify any issues worthy of motion practice. White further testified that he did not file a motion in limine regarding photos of the victim’s body because, based on his experience as a criminal lawyer, the photos were necessary as demonstrative aids to assist Dr. Joan Wood in describing her testimony and, therefore, there were no legal grounds to exclude the photos. With regal’d to the victim impact information, White testified that he did not recall whether he made an objection when one of the victim’s relatives made a statement to the court, but he did object when the State identified to the jury one of the victim’s family members who was in the audience at the sentencing.

Counsel’s strategic decisions do not demonstrate ineffective assistance. See Strickland, 466 U.S. at 687, 104 S.Ct. 2052. White’s testimony reveals that his decision not to file pretrial motions as Davis now challenges was based on his assessment at the time that the motions would not have been meritorious. Moreover, Davis does not allege how he was prejudiced by the alleged error. As adequately stated by the trial court, the testimony of defense counsel at the postconviction evidentiary hearing does not support Davis’s claim, and thus we affirm the trial court’s denial of this claim.

Next, Davis contends that his trial counsel failed to depose or obtain statements from key witnesses listed by the State who had information favorable to Davis’s defense. Specifically, Davis asserts that his trial counsel should have -interviewed four individuals who saw Davis and the victim at a bar on the day of the crime. White testified at the evidentiary hearing that he had the depositions of the key witnesses who had been deposed by the public defender’s office as well as the police reports containing information provided by people who were at a local bar in the general vicinity of the crime scene. Trial counsel further testified that based on these depositions, the police reports, and his defense strategy, he decided it was not necessary to take additional depositions of the people at the bar.

This Court has held that when a failure to depose is alleged as part of an ineffective assistance of counsel claim, the appellant must specifically set forth the harm from the alleged omission, identifying “a specific evidentiary matter to which the failure to depose witnesses would relate.” Brown v. State, 846 So.2d 1114, 1124 (Fla.2003) (quoting Magill v. State, 457 So.2d 1367, 1370 (Fla.1984)). Davis has not established that any of the individuals he claims White should have deposed had information that was unknown to White before trial. Moreover, there is nothing in the record demonstrating what evidence would have been elicited from these witnesses or what material might have been discovered had trial counsel deposed them. Davis has failed to show prejudice resulting from trial counsel’s decision not to depose these individuals, and thus this claim is without merit.

Davis next asserts that trial counsel was ineffective in failing to request funds for an investigator. Trial counsel is not absolutely required to hire an investigator under all circumstances. Trial counsel is only required to conduct a reasonable investigation. See Freeman v. State, 858 So.2d 319, 325 (Fla.2003). White testified that he did not use an investigator in Davis’s case because “the facts were pretty well developed and undisputed.” He also testified that he had the public defender’s file, which contained background information and documents on Davis that had been gathered by the public defender’s investigator. Thus, although White did not retain a second investigator, he had full investigatory support already completed before he entered the case. Davis has failed to demonstrate what information would have been revealed had trial counsel hired an investigator or that trial counsel’s investigation was otherwise unreasonable. Therefore, Davis has failed to demonstrate prejudice. Based on the foregoing, this claim was properly denied.

Davis contends trial counsel was ineffective during voir dire in failing to question jurors about their views regarding drugs, alcohol abuse, and mental illness, as well as stipulating to the removal for cause of eleven potential jurors. The record indicates that the jurors were in fact not questioned during voir dire regarding drugs, alcohol abuse, or mental illness. However, even if we were to conclude that this failure rendered trial counsel’s performance deficient, Davis has failed to demonstrate how this prejudiced these proceedings. Davis has not provided evidence that any unqualified juror served in this case, that any juror was biased or had an animus toward the mentally ill or persons suffering from drug addiction. Thus, this claim is without foundation.

In addition, Davis has not demonstrated that trial counsel did not have a reasonable basis to stipulate to the removal for cause of eleven potential jurors. He attempts to surmount this problem by merely asserting that if counsel had “followed up” during voir dire with more specific questions and had effectively rehabilitated the jurors, there would not have been a basis for any for-cause challenges. This is mere conjecture, and this Court has rejected a similar argument in Reaves v. State, 826 So.2d 932, 939 (Fla.2002). Moreover, trial counsel did object to the current state of the law regarding stipulated challenges for cause relating to those individual jurors who were completely against the death penalty, preserving his claim in case of future change in the law.

Davis also asserts that he was prejudiced because juror Cantlin stated that she knew the judge. The record indicates that the judge and juror Cantlin made known to both sides that he knew Cantlin though her husband. The record indicates that the prosecutor questioned Cantlin regarding whether her knowing the judge would affect her ability to sit as a juror, and she responded that it would not. Cantlin further confirmed that she would not have a problem serving as a juror in this case. Davis has not demonstrated any legal basis for removal or that Cantlin demonstrated any bias or that he was in fact prejudiced by Cantlin sitting on the jury. Thus, this claim is also without merit.

Davis also challenges counsel’s decision to waive opening statements. At the postconviction evidentiary hearing, trial counsel testified that his general strategy is to argue that the State has not met its burden without presenting witnesses to avoid boxing his client into a particular course of action and that he implemented this strategy in Davis’s case. Trial counsel testified that because he was not presenting evidence in Davis’s case, he decided against presenting an opening statement. The record supports the conclusion that it was a strategic decision to waive opening statement, that the decision was reasonable under the circumstances, and that trial counsel considered arid rejected reasonable alternative courses of action. Thus, we conclude that trial counsel’s strategic decision did not amount to ineffective assistance. See Occhicone, 768 So.2d at 1048 (“[S]trategic decisions do not constitute ineffective assistance of counsel if alternative courses have been . considered and rejected and counsel’s decision was reasonable under the norms of professional conduct.”). It is not necessary to address whether Davis has made a showing of prejudice because he has failed to establish the deficiency prong which is a prerequisite under Strickland. See Strickland, 466 U.S. at 697, 104 S.Ct. 2052 (“[T]here is no reason for a court deciding an ineffective assistance claim ... to address both components of the inquiry if the defendant makes an insufficient showing on one.”).

Davis next claims that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to use evidence of Davis’s intoxication at the time of the offense to argue a voluntary intoxication defense. Specifically, Davis asserts that voluntary intoxication could have been employed as a defense to Davis’s first-degree murder charge and could have rebutted the necessary elements of specific intent and premeditation. At the time of these events, voluntary intoxication was a recognized defense to premeditated first-degree murder. See Occhicone, 768 So.2d at 1045; Gardner v. State, 480 So.2d 91, 92 (Fla.1985).

White testified at the evidentiary hearing that the issues relating to intoxication were significantly developed during the State’s case and that the testimony of the witnesses he chose not to present, such as Carl Kearney and Glenda South, regarding Davis’s intoxication was not any stronger or more convincing than the information provided by the State’s witnesses during cross-examination. White also noted that calling additional witnesses would have resulted in losing his opportunity to present the first and last closing argument. Moreover, White stated that if he called a witness who had some favorable knowledge relating to the intoxication issue, that witness might also have provided damaging unfavorable information, including testimony with regard to statements made by Davis that the victim was a homosexual and that he was planning to take the victim’s money. White testified that he considered all of these aspects in deciding not to present additional witnesses to testify regarding the intoxication issue. He stated that he had a predesigned goal and strategy to present certain information about Davis’s intoxication to the jury and he completely met that goal through the State’s witnesses — Beverly Castle and Kimberly Rieck. White testified that based upon the facts with which he was faced, presenting an intoxication defense to preclude a first-degree murder conviction was not really a viable strategy; instead, he wanted intoxication to be in evidence to place it in context to achieve his overall goal and strategy of obtaining a second-degree murder conviction. White noted that there was much evidence tending to support premeditation and it was his desire to inject Davis’s intoxication to suggest that Davis did not fully form a conscious intent to do that which ultimately occurred, but he did not use intoxication as the primary defense because he did not think the jury would accept and believe that defense in this case.

Ultimately, White testified that it was his strategy to allow the state witnesses to provide the background of Davis’s intoxication sufficient to obtain an intoxication instruction and not present additional witnesses on the intoxication issue to avoid losing his ability to make first and last closing argument. We have deemed similar strategies reasonable in the past. See Occhicone v. State, 768 So.2d 1037 (Fla.2000) (affirming the trial court’s finding of reasonableness where attorneys consciously chose not to present evidence based on the belief they had presented enough evidence through cross-examination and that it was more important to have the first and last closing argument); see also Reed v. State, 875 So.2d 415, 430 (Fla.) (concluding that trial counsel’s decision to reserve first and last closing arguments and avoid the presentation of potentially perjurious testimony was not deficient performance), cert. denied, 543 U.S. 980, 125 S.Ct. 481, 160 L.Ed.2d 358 (2004). The fact that collateral counsel would have chosen a different strategy does not render trial counsel’s decision in the instant case unreasonable in hindsight. See Cooper v. State, 856 So.2d 969, 976 (Fla.2003) (“The issue before us is not ‘what present counsel or this Court might now view as the best strategy, but rather whether the strategy was within the broad range of discretion afforded to counsel actually