Opinion ID: 2614001
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Evidence of intent to torture

Text: (26) Defendant contends the evidence is insufficient to demonstrate that defendant intended to cause William extreme pain. Defendant relies upon the claim, frequently asserted in the context of first degree murder by torture, that the only evidence of intent to torture was derived from the condition of the victim's body, and that the severity of the victim's wounds is not necessarily determinative of intent to torture, because even the presence of severe wounds may be as consistent with an explosion of violence as with torture. (See People v. Raley, supra, 2 Cal.4th 870, 888; People v. Mincey, supra, 2 Cal.4th 408, 432; People v. Davenport, supra, 41 Cal.3d 247, 268.) As we have observed in evaluating similar claims made in the context of challenges to convictions for first degree murder by torture, intent is a state of mind which, unless established by the defendant's own statements (or by another witness's description of a defendant's behavior in committing the offenses), must be proved by the circumstances surrounding the commission of the offense ( People v. Proctor (1992) 4 Cal.4th 499, 531 [15 Cal. Rptr.2d 340, 842 P.2d 1100], affd. in Tuilaepa v. California (1994) 512 U.S. ___ [129 L.Ed.2d 750, 114 S.Ct. 2630]; People v. Mincey, supra, 2 Cal.4th 408, 433; People v. Pensinger, supra, 52 Cal.3d 1210, 1239), which include the nature and severity of the victim's wounds. ( People v. Mincey, supra, 2 Cal.4th 408, 433.) In the present case, the totality of the circumstances of the crime amply demonstrates defendant's intent to torture William and suggests neither an explosion of violence, nor, in the case of the nonfatal wounds, inadvertent infliction. The careful, even excessive, binding and gagging of the victims, involving a considerable expenditure of time and effort, such as occurred in the present case, generally is inconsistent with the theory that an explosion of violence occurred. William, having been so thoroughly incapacitated as to be unable to offer even the slightest resistance, and having been moved at some point, still bound to the chair, from the study into the bedroom, suffered several neck injuries (including puncture wounds and a longer, cutting wound) and back injuries (consisting of puncture wounds) caused by the knife. A number of these were fairly superficial cuts that clearly were not intended to be lethal (as appeared also to be the case with regard to William's fractured lower jaw), but apparently were meant instead to persuade Katherine to execute a check payable to defendant. At the same time, given their nature and placement, these wounds could not have been inflicted inadvertently. All of them appear to have preceded the fatal chest injury and head injuries. These nonfatal injuries are consistent only with an intent to inflict extreme pain, and provide substantial evidence supporting the determination that this element of the special circumstance was proved.