Title: P. v. Smith

State: california

Issuer: California Supreme Court

Document:

Filed 4/27/05 
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 
THE PEOPLE, 
) 
 
 
) 
 
Plaintiff and Respondent, 
) 
 
 
) 
S026223 
 
v. 
) 
 
 
) 
 
GREGORY SCOTT SMITH, 
) 
 
 
) 
Ventura County 
 
Defendant and Appellant. 
) 
Super. Ct. No. CR 27866 
___________________________________ ) 
 
BY THE COURT: 
 
MODIFICATION OF OPINION 
 
 
The opinion in this case, filed on March 10, 2005 and appearing at 
35 Cal.4th 334, is modified as follows: 
 
(1)  In the last full paragraph of 35 Cal.4th at page 355, after the citation 
“(People v. Coleman, supra, 48 Cal.3d at p. 149.),” the following is added:  “We 
continue to hold that general evidence regarding a defendant’s mental state is not 
admissible in aggravation at the penalty phase.  Here, by contrast, Dr. Hatcher’s 
testimony, when considered with the evidence regarding defendant’s bizarre 
behavior while committing the crime, provided evidence from which the jury 
could infer defendant acted with sexual sadism.  This specific evidence of the 
motivation behind the killing was relevant as a circumstance of the crime.”  The 
next sentence, beginning with the words, “In People v. Edelbacher,” will begin a 
new paragraph. 
 
(2)  The words and parentheses “(See generally People v. Barnes (2004) 
122 Cal.App.4th 858 [19 Cal.Rptr.3d 229] review granted Dec. 15, 2004, 
S128931, which reviews the California decisions on profile evidence.)” in the 
second full paragraph of 35 Cal.4th at page 357 are deleted.   
 
This modification does not affect the judgment.