172206P.pdf   03/06/2019  Robert Ford  v.  United States
   U.S. Court of Appeals Case No:  17-2206
   U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota - Sioux Falls   
   [PUBLISHED] [Smith, Author, with Loken and Gruender, Circuit Judges] 
   Prisoner case - Habeas. Claim that trial counsel rendered ineffective 
   assistance of counsel by failing to adequately cross-examine the victim 
   fails because the jury had sufficient objective evidence to convict Ford 
   irrespective of the victim's supposed character for dishonesty; further, 
   counsel's cross-examination was not unreasonable in its scope and choice 
   of topics; counsel's investigation of the victim demonstrated reasonable 
   professional judgment and was not constitutionally defective; decision not 
   to call witnesses was within counsel's discretion and was exercised 
   reasonably; the district court did not abuse its discretion by denying 
   Ford's request for an evidentiary hearing on his claims.