Case Name: STATE of Louisiana v. Herbert WELCOME
Court: Louisiana Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1983-05-23
Citations: 458 So. 2d 1235
Docket Number: No. 82-KA-2232
Parties: STATE of Louisiana v. Herbert WELCOME.
Judges: LEMMON, J., concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 458
Pages: 1235–1260

Head Matter:
STATE of Louisiana v. Herbert WELCOME.
No. 82-KA-2232.
Supreme Court of Louisiana.
May 23, 1983.
On Rehearing June 14, 1984.
Rehearing Denied Dee. 6, 1984.
William J. Guste, Jr., Atty. Gen., Barbara •Rutledge, Asst. Atty. Gen., Bernard E. Boudreaux, Jr., Dist. Atty., Dracos D. Burke, Asst. Dist. Atty., for plaintiff-appel-lee.
Walter J. Landry, Poteet & Landry, Lafayette, for defendant-appellant.

Opinion:
DENNIS, Justice.
On August 21, 1981, defendant Herbert Welcome shot and killed his aunt, Dorothy Guillory, and her paramour, Wallace Matu-rin, outside the house in which defendant resided with his mother.
According to the testimony of eyewitnesses, as the victims, Guillory and Matu-rin, were visiting on the front porch of the house, Welcome quarrelled with Maturin about the ownership of a poeketknife. The argument developed into,a scuffle between Welcome and Maturin in front of the house. Dorothy Guillory entered the struggle by striking Welcome several times on the head with her purse.
A hand gun Welcome was carrying fell to the ground. Guillory shouted for Matu-rin to get the weapon, but Welcome grabbed it first and began shooting. He fired upon Maturin three times at close range and Maturin fled around the corner of the house. Welcome followed and shot him several more times. Maturin died almost immediately from his wounds.
Defendant returned to the front of the house and called out threats to Guillory as he reloaded his weapon. Guillory fled through the house and down a nearby street. Defendant ran Guillory down and shot her several times. She died three days later from multiple gunshot wounds.
At the time of the killings the ages of the persons involved were as follows: Guillory, 57; Maturin, 46; Welcome, 28.
On September 24, 1981, a grand jury indicted defendant, Herbert Welcome, with two counts of first degree murder. In April 1982, a jury convicted the defendant of both charges and recommended a sentence of life imprisonment for the death of Wallace Maturin and a sentence of death for the murder of Dorothy Guillory. The trial court sentenced the defendant in accordance with the jury's recommendations.
On appeal defendant filed fourteen assignments of error. We find no merit in these assignments and affirm the defendant's convictions and sentences.
ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NUMBER ONE
By this assignment of error the defendant contends that the trial court erred in allowing the state to introduce his confession because he was not brought before a judge within 72 hours after arrest as required by Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure Article 230.1.
Defendant Welcome was arrested about 6:30 p.m. on Friday, August 21, 1981. He was brought before a judge and advised of his right to appointed counsel on Tuesday, August 25, 1981. The exact time of this hearing is not clear from the record. During the interval between arrest and the appearance, the defendant made several incriminating statements. Before trial, defendant moved to suppress the statements which he alleged to be the products of his illegal confinement. The trial judge denied his motion.
Article 230.1 of the Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure provides in part:
"A. The sheriff having custody of an arrested person shall bring him promptly, and in any case within seventy-two hours from the time of the arrest, before a judge for the purposes of appointment of counsel. Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays shall be excluded in computing the seventy-two hour period referred to herein.
B. At this appearance, if a defendant has the right to have the court appoint counsel to defend him, the court shall assign counsel to the defendant. The court may also, in its discretion, determine or review a prior determination of the amount of bail." (emphasis added.)
ifc ⅜ * ⅝ ⅜
According to the statute, an arrested person may not be confined without being brought before a judge for a period longer than seventy-two hours. However, the article expressly excludes Saturdays and Sundays from the computation of this time period.
Consequently, Welcome was not confined for a period beyond that allowed by law. He was arrested on Friday night. Even if we assume that his hearing did not occur until Tuesday night, the seventy-two hour statutory period had not elapsed because the intervening Saturday and Sunday are not counted under the express language of article 230.1.
This assignment of error is without merit.
ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NUMBER TWO
By this assignment of error, the defendant contends that the trial court erred in excusing, upon the state's challenges for cause, certain jurors who indicated reservations about the death penalty.
The record indicates that the state challenged seven prospective jurors for cause because of their responses relative to the death penalty. Each of these prospective jurors indicated that they would not impose the death penalty under any circumstances.
Under the United States Constitution, not every attitude against the death penalty may serve as grounds for excluding a potential juror. The High Court has held that the death penalty may not be imposed or recommended by a jury from which potential jurors who voiced a general objection to the death penalty were excluded. Witherspoon v. Illinois, 391 U.S. 510, 88 S.Ct. 1770, 20 L.Ed.2d 776 (1968). Similarly, a state may not preclude potential jurors from service merely because they were unable to swear that a mandatory penalty of death or life imprisonment would not affect their deliberations on any issue of fact. Adams v. Texas, 448 U.S. 38, 100 S.Ct. 2521, 65 L.Ed.2d 581 (1980).
Our law does not allow the state to challenge for cause prospective jurors who voice general objections to the death penalty. Rather in 1968, after the Witherspoon decision, the legislature amended article 798 of the Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure to provide, in pertinent part, that
It is good cause for challenge on the part of the state, but not on the part of the defendant, that:
(2) The juror tendered in a capital ease who has conscientious scruples against the infliction of capital punishment and makes it unmistakably clear (a) that he would automatically vote against the imposition of capital punishment without regard to any evidence that might be developed at the trial of the case before him, or (b) that his attitude toward the death penalty would prevent him from making an impartial decision as to the defendant's guilt;

Moreover, the United States Supreme Court has indicated clearly that a venireman "irrevocably committed" to vote against the death penalty regardless of the evidence presented in the case may be challenged by the state. See Davis v. Georgia, 429 U.S. 122, 97 S.Ct. 399, 50 L.Ed.2d 339 (1976).
In the present case, each of the seven prospective jurors challenged by the state indicated an unequivocal opposition to the death penalty, so strong that each indicated that he or she would not impose the ultimate penalty under any circumstances. Therefore, the exclusion of these prospective jurors was proper under our statutory law and under the holdings of the High Court.
Accordingly, this assignment of error lacks merit.
ASSIGNMENTS OF ERROR NUMBERS THREE AND FOUR
By these assignments of error, the defendant asserts that the trial judge, in accordance with La.C.Cr.P. art. 401, excluded from service all prospective jurors who had not been parish residents for more than one year and all prospective jurors who had been convicted of a felony for which they had not been pardoned. The defendant contends that these actions denied him of a jury which was representative of a cross-section of the community.
We need not address the constitutional question defendant seeks to raise or consider these assignments at great length. The record reflects that none of the jurors was disqualified because he or she lacked in residency or had been convicted of a felony.
Therefore, these assignments of error lack merit.
ASSIGNMENTS OF ERROR NUMBERS FIVE AND NINE
By these assignments of error, the defendant contends that the trial court erred in giving the following jury instruction requested by the state:
I further instruct you that any mental disorder short of legal insanity, that is, inability to distinguish between right and wrong cannot serve to negate specific intent and reduce the degree of the crime.
The charge given is a correct statement of our law relative to the defense of insanity. State v. Jones, 359 So.2d 95 (La. 1978). In Louisiana, to be exempted from criminal responsibility on grounds of insanity, the defendant must persuade the jury that he had a mental disease or defect which rendered him incapable of distinguishing right from wrong with reference to the conduct in question. La.R.S. 14:14; State v. Roy, 395 So.2d 664 (La. 1981); See generally, Note, The Insanity Defense in Louisiana: Presumptions, Burden of Proof, and Appellate Review, 42 La.L.Rev. 1166 (1982).
Defendant further contends that the charge, by noting that nothing short of legal insanity would "serve to negate specific intent and reduce the degree of the crime," may have misled the jury into believing that they could not return a verdict of guilty to a lesser included offense. The record reflects, however, that the trial judge correctly instructed the jury on the elements of second degree murder and manslaughter and informed them that each was a responsive verdict in the instant case.
Therefore, these assignments of error lack merit.
ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NUMBER SIX
By this assignment of error, defendant argues that the trial court erred when it refused to give the following special jury instruction:
There has been some testimony in this case to the effect that the Defendant has a mental age of eight years. Our state statute La.R.S. 14:13 provides that "Those who have not reached the age of ten years are exempt from criminal responsibility." You are cautioned that the statute refers to chronological age. However, the fact and purpose of the statute may be taken into consideration in your deliberations.
The criminal defendant in Louisiana has the right to submit to the court special written charges for the jury. La.C.Cr.P. art. 807. The judge must give the requested instruction if it does not require qualification, limitation, or explanation, and if it is wholly correct and pertinent. La.C.Cr.P. art. 807.
The trial judge was justified in refusing to give the requested charge because it was not wholly correct or pertinent. Persons below the age of ten years are exempt from criminal responsibility. La.C.Cr.P. art. 13. When the instant offense occurred, Defendant Welcome was twenty-eight years old. Because the statute refers to chronological age, and not mental capacity, it would have been incorrect to instruct the jury that it may consider the defendant's mental retardation as a possible grounds for finding him exempt from criminal responsibility.
Accordingly, this assignment of error lacks merit.
ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NUMBER SEVEN
By this assignment of error, defendant argues that the trial judge erred in denying his challenge for cause of a prospective juror, Mr. Herbert.
During the voir dire of Mr. Hebert, the following colloquy took place:
[By Defense Counsel]: Q. Now, did I understand you correctly, in an earlier question, that if there is a question of insanity, and there is a belief that the person was insane at the time he committed the offense, did I understand you correctly to say that unless you were assured he would be put away for a long time, that you could not render a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity? [By the Prospective Juror]: A. I'm not sure I understand the question you just gave. I mean, in accordance to what his question was.
[By Defense Counsel]: Q. If there is testimony as to the insanity, and you are unable — and that is the evidence in the case, can you render a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity in the case?
[By the Prospective Juror]: A. No, sir, I couldn't.
[By Defense Counsel]: Your Honor, I'd move to remove this witness for cause.
BY THE COURT: And the cause being?
[By Defense Counsel]: He is unable to render a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. He just testified.
BY THE COURT: Q. What is your name, sir?
[By the Prospective Juror]: A. Drew Hebert.
BY THE COURT: Q. Mr. Hebert, you understand that it is the law of this State that a person who at the time of the commission of the offense is operating under such an illness or defect of his mind that he cannot form the specific intent, and cannot judge right from wrong, that person is not held responsible for the acts as a normal person would be? You understand that?
[By the Prospective Juror]: A. Yes, sir.
BY THE COURT: Q. That is the law. If it were proven to you by competent evidence, in open court, that such a state of facts existed at the time of the commission of the offense, could you, and would you consider rendering a verdict that the defendant was not guilty by reason of insanity?
[By the Prospective Juror]: A. Yes, sir.
BY THE COURT: Q. You could do that?
[By the Prospective Juror]: A. Yes, sir.
BY THE COURT: If the Court instructed you that that's the law?
[By the Prospective Juror]: Yes, sir.
BY THE COURT: The challenge for cause is denied.
The defendant's attorney objected to the ruling.
A criminal defendant in Louisiana is guaranteed a right to full voir dire examination of prospective jurors. La.Const. 1974, art. I § 17. State v. David, 425 So.2d 1241 (La.1983). Our law provides an accused the right to challenge prospective jurors for cause on certain grounds, including the juror's lack of impartiality and the indication by the juror that he will not accept the law as given to him by the court. La.C.Cr.P. art. 797 (2) and (4).
A trial judge is vested with broad discretion in ruling on challenges for cause, and only where it appears, upon review of the voir dire examination as a whole, that the judge's exercise of that discretion has been arbitrary or unreasonable, resulting in prejudice to the accused, will this court reverse the ruling of the trial judge. State v. Passman, 345 So.2d 874 (La.1977); State v. Weathers, 320 So.2d 895 (La.1975); State v. O'Connor, 320 So.2d 188 (La.1975); State v. Frazier, 283 So.2d 261 (La.1978); State v. Willis, 262 La. 636, 264 So.2d 590 (1972), Cf. State v. Claiborne, 397 So.2d 486 (La.1981).
A trial judge's refusal to excuse a prospective juror for cause is not an abuse of his discretion, notwithstanding that the juror has voiced an opinion seemingly prejudicial to the defense, where subsequently, on further inquiry or instruction, he has demonstrated a willingness and ability to decide the case impartially according to the law and evidence. State v. Passman, supra; State v. Governor, 331 So.2d 443 (La.1976); State v. Nix, 327 So.2d 301 (La. 1976); State v. Johnson, 324 So.2d 349 (La.1976).
The transcript of the voir dire in the present case indicates that the trial judge did not misuse his discretion. The line of questioning by the defendant's counsel of Mr. Hebert was somewhat confusing as clearly indicated by the juror's response that he did not understand the question. But, when the court inquired of the juror whether he could apply the law of this state relative to the defense of insanity the juror unequivocably responded in the af firmative. Thus, he demonstrated a willingness and ability to decide the case impartially, according to the law and the evidence.
Therefore, this assignment of error lacks merit.
ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NUMBER EIGHT
By this assignment of error, the defense argues that the trial court erred in sustaining several of the prosecuting attorney's objections to questions asked or proposed to be asked by the defense attorney to elicit from witness evidence of the violent character of the victims.
The first ruling occurred during the defense attorney's cross examination of a state witness, Kenneth Robertson, the defendant's nephew:
*
[By Defense Counsel]: Q. Had you ever observed Wallace Maturin fighting, or aggressive in any respect?
[By the Witness]: A. Yes.
[By Defense Counsel]: Q. You had? Would you describe it.
[By Prosecuting Attorney]: I'm going to object. There's no evidence of an overt act in this case.
BY THE COURT: Sustained.
[By Defense Counsel]: Q. Had you ever seen Wallace and Dorothy fighting?
[By the Witness]: A. Yes.
[By Prosecuting Attorney]: Objection. That's got nothing to do with the ease.
BY THE COURT: Well, the witness has already answered the question.
[By Prosecuting Attorney]: I know.
BY THE COURT: Mr. Burke. Through no fault of your own, but the witness has already answered it. Would you wait one moment, Mr. Landry, before you proceed, and let the train pass.
[By Defense Counsel]: All right, sir.
*
[By Defense Counsel]: Q. Now, based on your general knowledge of Herbert and Wallace, if you really don't know who would have gone after who first, just on your basic knowledge of the two people, their character and everything, who would you say would be more inclined to strike first?
[By Prosecuting Attorney]: Objection. Speculation.
BY THE COURT: Sustained.
*
[By Defense Counsel]: Q. Have you ever seen Wallace Maturin in fights?
[By the Witness]: A. Him and Dorothy.
[By Defense Counsel]: Q. Fighting each other?
[By the Witness]: A. Yes.
[By Defense Counsel]: Q. How many times?
[By the Witness]: A. Several times.
[By Defense Counsel]: Q. Where did you see this?
[By Prosecuting Attorney]: Your Honor, I'm going to object again. We're getting afield from August the twenty-first, nineteen eighty-one.
BY THE COURT: I'll sustain the objection.
*
[By Defense Counsel]: Q. To your knowledge, had. Dorothy Guillory ever been accused of stabbing someone?
[By the Witness]: A. Yes.
[By Prosecuting Attorney]: I have to object again. No overt acts on the part of—
BY THE COURT: Sustained.
[By Defense Counsel]: Your Honor, I would again state that Dorothy Guillory had an overt action. She had been hitting him over the head with a heavy weighted purse, and there was overt action on her part, and I would strongly object to an appeal to the Court to allow me to pursue this line of testimony.
BY THE COURT: I will make a more complete ruling at a subsequent time outside the presence of the jury. For the present time, it suffices that the Court will sustain the objection.
*
Another ruling occurred during the defense attorney's direct examination of defense witness, Paul Andrew, the defendant's brother:
[By Defense Counsel]: Q. Have you ever observed Wallace [Maturin] or Dorothy Guillory [, the two victims,] fighting?
[By the Witness]: A. Yeah, I remember they had some fights between amongst theirself. Amongst themself. Yes.
[By Prosecuting Attorney]: I'm going to object to any further questions about domestic disputes between the two deceased, unless he can make it more relevant.
[By Defense Counsel]: Your Honor, may I approach the bench?
sfc * %
BY THE COURT: I'll sustain the objection.
[By Defense Counsel]: Q. Mr. Andrew, to your knowledge, was Wallace prone or liable to get into fights?
[By Prosecuting Attorney]: Objection, that's an opinion of the witness.
BY THE COURT: Sustained.
During examination of these and other witnesses, however, the defense attorney was permitted to develop substantial evidence of the victims' propensities for violence. Many of the prosecuting attorney's objections came after the witnesses had already told the jury that Maturin and Guil-lory had engaged in fights and that Guillo-ry had been accused of a stabbing. One witness testified in some detail that he had observed the victims on several occasions fighting in their front yard. A nephew of the defendant confirmed during cross-examination the fact that the victims were known to fight. A police officer testified that he had been called to a certain address because of a disturbance between Mrs. Guillory and Mr. Maturin, and that he had arrested Mr. Maturin who was intoxicated and refused to leave the premises. A niece of the deceased Mrs. Guillory testified that although she was a fine lady, she got angry quickly and had been in a couple of fights. Another neice of Mrs. Guillory testified that she had visited her aunt in jail and had seen Mrs. Guillory and Mr. Matu-rin fighting on several occasions. The latter neice also testified that she had seen Mr. Maturin with two different guns in his possession before the killing, that the defendant knew that Maturin had a gun, and that Mrs. Guillory had two guns which she had carried in her purse and her pocket. A nephew of the defendant testified that Dorothy Guillory had once been accused of a stabbing. A psychiatrist called as an expert witness by the defense testified that the defendant, in relating his history in connection with an examination by the doctor, stated that Mr. Maturin had abused him by withholding part of his wages, cursing him, and making him stay late at work. A second police officer testified that he also was called by Mrs. Guillory to remove an unidentified man from her residence and that she was intoxicated at that time. It was also shown at trial that the victim, Wallace Maturin, had on one occasion turned his dog upon the defendant, Welcome, and that the dog had bitten Welcome. Additionally, the defense attorney in the presence and earshot of the jury referred to "thirteen police assignment sheets dealing with Wallace Maturin and Dorothy Guillory, in disturbances, problems, et cetera, on which the police were called."
The record does not contain a proffer of the evidence which the defense contends was excluded because the trial court sustained the prosecuting attorney's objections. The defense brief does not inform us of the nature of the evidence either. However, from the form of the questions asked and the nature of the evidence that defense counsel successfully introduced, the evidence excluded apparently consisted of further details about fights between Mr. Maturin and Mrs. Guillory, one witness's opinion that Mr. Maturin was prone to get into fights and details of an accusation of violence by Mrs. Guillory. In view of the substantial undisputed evidence of the victims' frequent fights and habits of carrying firearms, introduced either without protest or over the prosecution's objections, the evidence excluded was purely cumulative and would have added nothing to the probative force of the considerable evidence of the victims' violent characters presented to the jury. Since it is clear beyond a reasonable doubt that any error in the trial court's ruling did not contribute to the defendant's conviction, we conclude that this assignment of error is without merit. See State v. Gibson, 391 So.2d 421 (La.1980). See also, Chapman v. California, 386 U.S. 18, 87 S.Ct. 824, 17 L.Ed.2d 705 (1967).
ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NUMBER TEN
By this assignment of error, defendant contends that the trial judge committed reversible error when he allowed the prosecutor to make the following closing argument during the guilt determination phase of defendant's trial:
You have only to answer a simple question. Should this defendant be held responsible for the killing of an unarmed and fleeing crippled man, and for the killing of an unarmed fleeing woman, all within the same time, and within the space of very few feet. My answer to you is, of course he must be held accountable. If we're going to have law in this State, he's got to be held accountable. And you can do that by returning verdicts of guilty as charged on both counts. And I thank you.
There was nothing wrong with the prosecuting attorney's argument. It was confined to evidence admitted, to conclusions of fact that the state may draw therefrom, and to the law applicable to the case. See La.C.Cr.P. art. 774. The argument did not appeal to prejudice. See La.C.Cr.P. art. 774. Since the argument was in no way improper, there was no basis for an admonition or a mistrial. See, La.C.Cr.P. art. 774, Comment C; La.C.Cr.P. arts. 770 and 771; State v. Morris, 404 So.2d 1186, 1191 (La.1981).
Accordingly, this assignment of error lacks merit.
CAPITAL SENTENCE REVIEW
Every sentence of death imposed in this state is reviewed by this court to determine if it is constitutionally excessive. In making this examination, this court determines whether the sentence was imposed under the influence of passion, prejudice, or any other arbitrary factors, whether the evidence supports the jury's finding of a statutory aggravating circumstance, and whether the sentence is disproportionate to the penalty imposed in similar cases, considering both the crime and the defendant. La.S.Ct. Rule 28. See generally, Note, Capital Sentencing Review Under Supreme Court Rule 28, 42 La.L.Rev. 1100 (1982).
A. Aggravating Circumstances
In the instant case, the jury recommended the penalty of death based on its finding of the existence of two aggravating circumstances: (1) the offender knowingly created a risk of death or great bodily harm to more than one person; and (2) the offense was committed in an especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel manner.
Under our law, a sentence of death may not be imposed unless the jury finds beyond a reasonable doubt that at least one statutory aggravating circumstance exists and, after consideration of any mitigating circumstances, recommends that the sentence of death be imposed. La.C.Cr.P. art. 905.3. The jury may consider as one such statutory aggravating circumstance that "the offender knowingly created a risk of death or great bodily harm to more than one person." La.C.Cr.P. art. 905.4(d). As will be explained more fully below, our cases establish that this aggravating circumstance is present in a case, when the defendant through his act of homicide creates a genuine risk of death or great bodily harm to more than one person or when the defendant through a single consecutive course of conduct contemplates and causes the death of more than one person.
In State v. English, 367 So.2d 815 (La. 1979), this court recognized that the statu tory definition of this aggravating circumstance might be restricted to circumstances under which the defendant's act of homicide also created a grave danger to persons other than the victim, such as when a bomb is exploded in a crowded building. However, we declared that the more probable legislative intent was that the penalty of death may be justified when a "single consecutive course of conduct contemplates and causes the risk of death or great bodily harm to more than one person . " Id. at 824.
We have applied the English construction in several subsequent cases. In State v. Martin, 376 So.2d 300 (La.1979), this court upheld the finding of the aggravating circumstance when the offender entered a house trailer and killed all four of its occupants in rapid succession. Likewise, in State v. Sonnier, 379 So.2d 1336 (La.1980) (original hearing), this court held that the aggravating circumstance was properly found in a case "where the offender kill[ed] two or more persons during a single consecutive course of conduct for the purpose of preventing any one of those killed from disclosing the murder of the other ." Id. at 1362.
These decisions indicate that one of two factors must be present to satisfy the requirements for the aggravating circumstance: Either a single act of homicide by an offender must create a genuine risk of death or great bodily injury to more than one person, such as the risk created by the explosion of a bomb in a crowded building; or, a single consecutive course of conduct by the offender must contemplate and actually cause the death of one person and the death or great bodily harm of another, such as the slaying of four persons in close proximity and in rapid succession inside a house trailer.
Applying these precepts to the instant case, we conclude that the jury's finding beyond a reasonable doubt of the aggravating circumstance, "the offender knowingly created a risk of death or great bodily harm to more than one person," was adequately supported by the evidence in the instant case. Defendant Welcome engaged in a scuffle with both victims. As he struggled with Maturin, Guillory repeatedly struck him with her purse. After regaining his pistol, defendant fired three shots at Maturin. When Maturin fled to the side of the house, defendant followed him and fired several more shots into him, resulting in his death. Defendant paused only long enough to reload his gun, during which he told Guillory that she was next. He then pursued her down a nearby street, and killed her with several shots. The entire episode occurred in a matter of some thirty or forty seconds. Thus, the series of facts which led to the two deaths was a single episode, a single consecutive course of conduct, which arose out of and closely followed his altercation with Guillory and Maturin. Consequently, it was reasonable for the jury to find beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant contemplated and caused the death of the two victims in a single consecutive course of conduct.
However, the defendant argues that the second aggravating circumstance found, namely that the "offense was committed in an especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel manner," is not supported in the evidence. The defendant correctly notes that the state did not present evidence or argue in support of this aggravating circumstance.
This court has taken the position that where more than one statutory aggravating circumstance is found by the jury, the failure of the one circumstance does not so taint the proceedings as to invalidate any other aggravating circumstance found and the sentence of death based thereon. State v. James, 431 So.2d 399 (La.1983); State v. Sonnier, 402 So.2d 650 (La. 1981); State v. Monroe, 397 So.2d 1258 (La.1981); But see, Note, Capital Sentencing Review Under Supreme Court Rule 28, 42 La.L. Rev. 1100, 1112 (1982). Therefore, since the jury's finding that the defendant knowingly created a risk of death or great bodily harm is clearly supported by the evidence, it is not necessary that we consider the merit of defendant's argument on the other aggravating circumstance.
B. Passion, Prejudice or Arbitrariness
Defendant has made several assignments of error in which he contends that the death penalty is tainted because an arbitrary factor was interjected into the proceedings.
ASSIGNMENTS OF ERROR NUMBERS ELEVEN AND TWELVE
By these assignments of error, the defendant contends that the prosecutor's arguments during the penalty phase introduced an arbitrary factor which invalidated the capital sentence returned by the jury. Specifically, the defendant contends that the trial court erred when it allowed the prosecutor to argue the supposed deterrent effect of capital punishment and when it permitted the state to refer to the jury as "part of the machinery of the criminal justice of the State of Louisiana."
This court carefully reviews the arguments of the state made during the penalty phase of a capital case. A prosecutor may not call upon the jury to base its decision upon a consideration outside the scope of its authority or refer to facts upon which no evidence has been introduced. State v. Willie, 410 So.2d 1019 (La.1982). Nor may the prosecutor convey a message which in some way lessens the jury's awesome responsibility in a capital trial. State v. Willie, supra. See also, State v. Monroe, 397 So.2d 1258 (La.1981).
The record in the present case reflects that the prosecuting attorney was not only a competent advocate for the state but also that he was a fair opponent and did not appeal to passion or prejudice in order to obtain the sentence of death. His brief reference to the possible deterrent effect of the death penalty did not induce the jury to skew their focus from the particular defendant and offense in the instant case. See State v. Willie, supra. See also State v. Narcisse, 426 So.2d 118 (La.1983) (where we held that the state's brief reference to the alleged deterrent effect of the death penalty did not inject an arbitrarry factor into the proceedings which might have tainted the verdict). The prosecutor's reference to the jury as "part of the machinery of the criminal justice [system]" was in fact an accurate depiction. Moreover, this remark could not have lessened in the jurors' minds their awesome responsibility. Compare this remark with those at issue in State v. Willie, supra, (continuous references of the state to the numerous appeals available to the defendant improperly suggested to the jurors that their imposition of the death penalty would not be final).
Accordingly, these assignments are without merit.
ASSIGNMENTS OF ERROR NUMBERS THIRTEEN AND FOURTEEN
By these assignments of error, defendant contends that the trial judge erred in instructing the jury that it need only find one aggravating factor beyond a reasonable doubt and only had to consider the mitigating factors in order to recommend the imposition of the death penalty. Defendant argues that the jury should have been instructed that it must find beyond a reasonable doubt that the aggravating factors outweigh the mitigating factors before it may impose the death penalty.
Defendant's arguments suggest a misunderstanding of our capital sentencing scheme. After a verdict of guilty to first degree murder, a sentencing hearing is conducted. La.C.Cr.P. art. 905 et seq. The sentence will be life imprisonment unless the jury finds unanimously and beyond a reasonable doubt at least one statutorily defined "aggravating circumstance." La. C.Cr.P. art. 905.3. However, having found the existence of a statutory aggravating circumstance the jury is still not required to impose the death penalty. State v. David, 425 So.2d 1241 (La.1983); State v. Watson, 423 So.2d 1130 (La.1982). Instead, it is merely authorized to impose the ultimate penalty after considering evidence of any mitigating circumstances. La.C. Cr.P. art. 905.3. Unless the jury unanimously determines that the death penalty should be imposed, the defendant will be sentenced to life imprisonment without parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.
The proceedings in the instant case were conducted in accordance with this statutory scheme. The trial judge therefore did not introduce an arbitrary factor into the proceedings by complying with the law.
We note further that the record does not indicate that the death penalty was imposed arbitrarily or out of local passion or prejudice. Defendant is a black man and one of his victims was white. However, nothing in the record suggests that racial prejudice was a factor in imposing the sentence of death. Members of the defendant's race were represented on the jury which recommended the death penalty.
C. Proportionality
Defendant, Herbert Welcome, was twenty-eight years old at the time of the instant murder. He is one of six children. Defendant's parents are both deceased. His father died in 1979; his mother, in 1982, after the instant offense occurred.
Defendant completed only three years in school. He attended some night classes for over a year after dropping out of grade school. He has no other formal education. The sanity commission found the defendant to be mildly to moderately retarded. A psychiatrist for the state testified at the sanity hearing that defendant was shy and withdrawn, but that he had legal capacity and was able to distinguish between right and wrong. One psychiatrist, a witness for the defense, testified at trial that defendant had a mental age of eight years.
Defendant has a substantial employment history. The record indicates that the defendant has held jobs for extended periods of time with the same employers. Defendant was employed as an automobile body worker at the time of the instant offense. Previously, he had been employed as an oil field laborer for four years, a field laborer for two years, and a janitor for about six months. Defendant served briefly in the National Guard, but was discharged in a matter of months for psychiatric reasons.
Defendant has a fairly substantial criminal record, stretching back to 1973. Most of his offenses are property offenses. However, the record reflects that defendant was involved in two crimes against the person, an aggravated assault and a simple battery.
Defendant is not married and has no dependents.
Of all first degree murder prosecutions in Iberia Parish since 1976, three have resulted in the death penalty. One of these sentences was vacated because it was found to be excessive. State v. Eddie Sonnier, 380 So.2d 1 (1979). Another was remanded for a new sentencing proceeding and the death penalty was reimposed and affirmed on the second appeal. State v. Elmo Sonnier, 402 So.2d 650 (1981). The third case is the present one.
A comparison of the sentence in this case to sentences in other first degree murder prosecutions in Iberia Parish shows that it is not a disproportionate sentence. The instant offenses were committed in a particularly senseless fashion. The altercation which led to the deaths of the two victims began with an argument over a pocketknife. Defendant fired his gun numerous times at point blank range into the first victim, Maturin. He then pursued the second victim, Guillory, down the street and brutally murdered her despite her cries for mercy. Defendant has a history of criminal activity, including two previous instances involving the use of dangerous weapons.
There are some first degree murder cases from Iberia Parish in which the death penalty was either not imposed by the jury or not upheld by this court. However, in those cases, the defendants either killed only one person or were able to prove mitigating circumstances not present in the instant case. See, e.g., State v. Eddie Sonnier, 380 So.2d 1 (1979).
Accordingly, we affirm defendant's conviction and sentence of death.
AFFIRMED.
LEMMON, J., concurs.
BLANCHE, J., concurs and assigns reasons.