Long

INTRODUCTION

A jury found defendant Michael Todd Long guilty of inflicting corporal injury on a cohabitant and of committing battery with serious bodily injury on her.

Defendant contends that after he refused to accept the prosecution’s original plea offer, the People acted vindictively by amending the complaint to add new charges and increasing the sentence offered. Defendant further asserts both that the court erred and that his counsel rendered ineffective assistance because the court did not instruct the jury that evidence of the character of a witness may be considered in determining witness credibility. Lastly, defendant contends the court erred in refusing to instruct the jury on the People’s delay in disclosing evidence. We will affirm.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

On December 17, 2002, Amy Clark drove herself to a hospital emergency room. Clark told emergency room physician Donald Snyder that defendant hit her in the face. At the time, Clark and defendant were living together as girlfriend and boyfriend. Doctor Snyder noticed bruising around Clark’s left eye. An X-ray showed Clark had a fracture to the bone around that eye. Doctor Snyder diagnosed Clark…