Opinion ID: 2311086
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Mental Illness as a Mitigating Factor at Sentencing

Text: Appel argues that the cumulative effect of three constitutional violations prevented the trial court from giving full consideration and effect to Appel's mental illness before imposing the death sentence. Specifically, Appel alleges that the three constitutional violations were: (1) the ineffective assistance of counsel during the pre-trial period and during the 1986 proceedings; (2) the prosecution's failure to provide exculpatory information under Brady; and (3) the allegation that Appel's right to a competent mental health evaluation was violated. According to Appel, each of these alleged violations acted singly and in concert to prevent the trial court from considering Appel's diminished mental capacity as a mitigating factor in determining Appel's sentence. Because we have rejected each of the three alleged constitutional violations, we similarly hold that this argument is without merit.