Victor Beck was indicted for two counts of rape, two counts of incest, four counts of aggravated child molestation, five counts of aggravated sexual battery, and eleven counts of child molestation, all committed on his two stepdaughters. Beck’s wife and another child testified on behalf of the State. The jury found him guilty of all counts except one count of aggravated child molestation and one count of child molestation, as to which the trial court directed a verdict of acquittal. His amended motion for new trial was denied after an evidentiary hearing, and he appeals, asserting ineffective assistance of counsel and error in the admission of similar transactions. Finding no error, we affirm. 1. Beck asserts ineffective assistance of counsel in four respects: failure to object to leading questions posed by the prosecutor, failure to interview defense witnesses, failure to obtain impeachment evidence, and failure to advise Beck’s wife of her spousal immunity. We find no error in the trial court’s conclusion that Beck’s trial counsel did not provide ineffective assistance.
To prevail on a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, it must be shown both that counsel’s performance was deficient and that but for this deficiency, the outcome of the trial would have been different. Strickland v. Washington , 466 U.S. 668 104 SC 2052, 80 LE2d 674 1984. Failure to satisfy either prong of the Strickland standard is fatal to an ineffective assistance claim. See generally Brewer v. State , 224 Ga. App. 656, 657-658 2 481 SE2d 608 1997. “The trial court’s determination with respect to effective assistance of counsel will be affirmed unless the trial court’s findings are clearly erroneous. Cit.” Chapman v. State , 273 Ga. 348, 350 541 SE2d 634 2001.
