Opinion ID: 1813007
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Trial Court's Finding of HAC and CCP, Weighing of Sentencing Circumstances, and Findings for Imposition of Death Penalty

Text: Hudson challenges the trial court's findings of HAC and CCP, as well as its weighing of the sentencing circumstances. Hudson also argues that the trial court failed to make specific written findings required under section 921.141(3), Florida Statutes (2001), in order to impose a sentence of death. We conclude that there is no merit to these claims and will discuss each in turn.
Hudson first challenges the trial court's basis for finding that the murder was heinous, atrocious or cruel (HAC). In reviewing a trial court's finding of an aggravating circumstance, this Court's task `is to review the record to determine whether the trial court applied the right rule of law for each aggravating circumstance and, if so, whether competent substantial evidence supports its finding.' Douglas v. State, 878 So.2d 1246, 1261 (Fla.2004) (quoting Willacy v. State, 696 So.2d 693, 695 (Fla.1997)). We conclude that the trial court had before it competent, substantial evidence to support the finding of HAC. Hudson correctly argues that a fairly instantaneous death by single gunshot is often found not to be heinous, atrocious or cruel. We agree with Hudson that the death by gunshot here was essentially instantaneous, but we cannot ignore the evidence of the circumstances to which Peller was subjected leading up to his death, knowing in all likelihood that he was going to die. As we have observed, fear, emotional strain, and terror of the victim during the events leading up to the murder may make an otherwise quick death especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel, James v. State, 695 So.2d 1229, 1235 (Fla.1997), including where the victim is acutely aware of his or her impending death. See Gore v. State, 706 So.2d 1328, 1335 (Fla.1997) ([T]he fear and emotional strain of the victim from the events preceding the killing may contribute to its heinous nature.); see also Preston v. State, 607 So.2d 404, 410 (Fla.1992) (Fear and emotional strain may be considered as contributing to the heinous nature of the murder, even where the victim's death was almost instantaneous.). In the instant case, the evidence upon which the trial court relied establishes that Peller knew of his impending death for a significant period of time preceding his murder. Hudson was actually present with a gun, which he pulled at least forty-five minutes before the murder. Once Hudson pulled the gun, the evidence established that Peller was scared and hyperventilating. Certainly Peller's call to his father shows acute awareness of his impending death. Fizzuoglio's observations and testimony regarding Hudson's actions and Peller's reactions, including his panic and fear, support the trial court's finding of HAC. Therefore, no relief is warranted on this claim.
In order to find the CCP aggravating factor, the jury must determine that the killing was the product of cool and calm reflection and not an act prompted by emotional frenzy, panic, or a fit of rage (cold); that the defendant had a careful plan or prearranged design to commit murder before the fatal incident (calculated); that the defendant exhibited heightened premeditation (premeditated); and that the defendant had no pretense of moral or legal justification. Franklin v. State, 965 So.2d 79, 98 (Fla.2007) (citing Jackson v. State, 648 So.2d 85, 89 (Fla. 1994)). It is the State's burden to prove CCP beyond a reasonable doubt. See Walker v. State, 957 So.2d 560, 581 (Fla. 2007). A determination of whether CCP is present is properly based on a consideration of the totality of the circumstances. Wike v. State, 698 So.2d 817, 823 (Fla.1997); see also Lynch v. State, 841 So.2d 362, 372 (Fla.2003). [T]he facts supporting CCP must focus on the manner in which the crime was executed, e.g., advance procurement of weapon, lack of provocation, killing carried out as a matter of course. Lynch, 841 So.2d at 372 (quoting Looney v. State, 803 So.2d 656, 678 (Fla.2001)). In this case, the trial court's finding of CCP included the fact that Hudson took a loaded firearm to the apartment; he discussed the impending murder with Peller for a substantial period of time; Peller offered no resistance and was shot in the head execution-style; and the murder was not spontaneous or impulsive. The trial court found the murder involved heightened premeditation over and above what is required for unaggravated first-degree murder, noting that the degree of ruthlessness is evident in the fact that Hudson let Peller use the telephone to call his father to say goodbye and then shot the unarmed, unresisting victim in the head. Hudson informed Peller that he had been sent there to kill him, evidencing a prearranged plan. The trial court correctly concluded there was no pretense of moral or legal justification. It is significant that Hudson was in the apartment for at least forty-five minutes before the shooting. Even though Hudson may have agonized over the final act and tried to get out of the shooting by calling someone, he clearly had ample opportunity to reflect upon his actions, following which he decided to shoot Peller execution-style. Id. at 371 (quoting Looney, 803 So.2d at 678). Heightened premeditation necessary for CCP is established where, as here, the defendant had ample opportunity to release the victim but instead, after substantial reflection, acted out the plan [he] had conceived during the extended period in which [the] events occurred. Alston v. State, 723 So.2d 148, 162 (Fla.1998) (quoting Jackson v. State, 704 So.2d 500, 505 (Fla.1997)); see also Looney, 803 So.2d at 679. This evidence alone would be sufficient to establish heightened premeditation, but coupled with the facts that Peller's murder had been planned weeks in advance and that Hudson took the murder weapon to the scene, heightened premeditation is clearly proven. The evidence was also sufficient to support the trial court's finding that the murder was calculated. Hudson calculated and prepared in advance to shoot Peller and took the loaded murder weapon to the apartment where he found Peller alone. The shooting was not done in a fit of rage but according to a prearranged plan, and the evidence clearly established that it was also cold. The fact that Hudson did not immediately kill Peller does not make the murder less cold, calculated or premeditated. In the end, Hudson picked up a blanket to muffle the shot and killed Peller with a single gunshot to the head. The trial court recognized and applied the correct rule of law and had before it competent, substantial evidence to conclude that the cold, calculated and premeditated (CCP) aggravator was present. Accordingly, this claim is without merit.
Hudson contends that the trial court erred in its assignment of weight to the aggravating and mitigating circumstances that it found. We disagree. The trial court entered a detailed sentencing order outlining the evidence upon which the aggravating and mitigating circumstances were found. The judge also explained in detail why no statutory mitigation had been established. Nonstatutory mitigation was found in the sentencing order, but as explained by the trial court, was given little weight. The record supports these findings. Dr. Kramer testified hypothetically about the effect that adolescent sexual abuse and parental abandonment could have on a person. However, he did not examine Hudson and did not connect the evidence of sexual abuse and abandonment in Hudson's past to the murder or to Hudson's actions or motivations in the case. The evidence, including portions of Hudson's own testimony, suggested that the murder was business-related and not personal or the result of rage or any other mental condition. The rejection of statutory mitigators is supported by the record, and the trial court's findings and weight given to the many nonstatutory mitigators found is both reasoned and supported. The trial judge correctly weighed the aggravators it found against the mitigators proven by the evidence and we will not reweigh the sentencing circumstances in this appeal. See Rodgers v. State, 948 So.2d 655, 669 (Fla.2006), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 128 S.Ct. 59, 169 L.Ed.2d 50 (2007). No error has been shown in either the rejection of the statutory mitigators or in the weighing of the nonstatutory mitigators. Hudson also contends that the trial court failed to make the specific written findings required under section 921.141(3), Florida Statutes (2001), expressly stating that sufficient aggravating circumstances exist and that there are insufficient mitigating circumstances to outweigh the aggravating circumstances. This precise claim was found to be without merit in Williams v. State, 967 So.2d 735, 761 (Fla. 2007) (citing Holmes v. State, 374 So.2d 944, 950 (Fla.1979)), and we reject it here. We said in Holmes that [t]here is no prescribed form for the order containing the findings of mitigating and aggravating circumstances.... It must appear that the sentence imposed was the result of reasoned judgment. 374 So.2d at 950. In this case, the trial judge entered a detailed sentencing order in which he stated the applicable law and made specific findings of fact as to each aggravator and mitigator. The sentencing order stated that statutory aggravators were found, that no statutory mitigators were found, that twelve nonstatutory mitigators were established, and that the aggravators far outweigh the mitigators. The court also found that the aggravators were overwhelming. This sentencing order was the result of reasoned judgment, id., and meets the requirements of the statute under the analysis set forth in Williams and Holmes. Thus, we deny relief on this claim.