State of Florida, Appellant v. Thomas D. Woodel, Appellee; Thomas D. Woodel, Cross-Appellant, v. State of Florida…

Summary

The court reversed the order granting Woodel a new penalty phase, affirmed the denial of a new guilt phase, and reinstated his death sentence. It held that Woodel failed to establish prejudice under the ineffective-assistance standard because the additional mitigation was cumulative, insufficiently supported, or would not undermine confidence in the sentence, and that his claims concerning the witness testimony and alleged disclosure violations were meritless or procedurally barred. Justice Pariente, dissenting, would have affirmed the new penalty phase because counsel's failures to investigate and present mitigation cumulatively undermined confidence in the death sentence.