Ineffective assistance of counsel; Prior stabbing testimony; Other-acts evidence; MRE 404(b); Trial strategy; Witness credibility; Identification evidence

The court held that defendant was not denied effective assistance of counsel when trial counsel elicited testimony that he had previously stabbed the shooting victim. Defendant was convicted after the victim identified him as the person who shot him through a gas-station door. Counsel challenged the victim’s credibility by eliciting testimony about a prior altercation between the two. On appeal, the court held that counsel’s questioning was trial strategy because he used the prior-stabbing testimony in closing to attack the victim’s credibility, emphasizing that the victim had not reported the alleged stabbing and that the account made little sense. The court recognized the strategy was risky, but concluded it was not objectively unreasonable in a difficult identification case where undermining the victim was essential. The court also held that defendant could not show prejudice because the remaining identification evidence was strong: the shooter drove a purple Ford Flex, police later found him driving a similar vehicle, he wore an orange hoodie like the shooter’s, and the victim identified him in a photo lineup. Affirmed.