Opinion ID: 1316820
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: UJI Crim. 39.33

Text: Guzman argues that UJI Crim. 39.33 is unconstitutional because it permits the jury to consider aggravating circumstances not permitted by NMSA 1978, Section 31-20A-5 (Repl.Pamp. 1981), and because it permits the death penalty to be imposed in an arbitrary manner which is not rationally reviewable. The pertinent part of UJI Crim. 39.33 states: If you have unanimously agreed on a finding that    [one or more of the aggravating circumstances charged were] present, you must then consider the penalty to be imposed in this case. In determining the penalty to be imposed, you must consider all of the evidence admitted during this sentencing proceeding and the evidence admitted during the trial in which the defendant was found guilty of murder. You must then consider whether there are any mitigating circumstances. If you find there are mitigating circumstances, you must then weigh the mitigating circumstances against    [one or more aggravating circumstances] you have found in this case. After weighing the aggravating circumstances and the mitigating circumstances, weighing them against each other, and considering both the defendant and the crime, you shall determine whether the defendant should be sentenced to death or life imprisonment. (emphasis added) (footnotes omitted). Guzman argues that this phrase, considering both the defendant and the crime (which is directly from NMSA 1978, Subsection 31-20A-2(B) (Repl.Pamp. 1981)), allows the jury to consider the defendant and the crime as an aggravating circumstance that is not specified by our death penalty statute. UJI Crim. 39.33, in which this phrase appears, is not the instruction that specifies for the jury what alleged aggravated circumstance is relied upon by the State. The jury is clearly told by the other instructions which aggravating circumstance or circumstances must be proved before the jury may even consider the death penalty. The jury in the present case was given NMSA 1978, UJI Crim. 39.30, 39.31 and 39.33 (Repl.Pamp. 1982). Under UJI Crim. 39.30, mitigating circumstances were set forth for the jury to consider on behalf of Guzman. Under UJI Crim. 39.31, the jury was required to make two determinations: first, whether the State proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the murder was committed under the aggravating circumstances as charged; and second, whether the mitigating circumstances outweighed the aggravating circumstances. State v. Garcia, 99 N.M. 771, 664 P.2d 969, cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 103 S.Ct. 2464, 77 L.Ed.2d 1341 (1983). Once these threshold determinations were made, the jury was instructed under UJI Crim. 39.33, that they must weigh the aggravating circumstances and mitigating circumstances and consider Guzman and the crime in determining whether to sentence him to death or life imprisonment. Guzman asserts that the language of UJI Crim. 39.33, in effect, allows nonstatutory aggravating circumstances to be considered, and that it is therefore unconstitutional. We hold that UJI Crim. 39.33 does not allow the consideration of nonstatutory aggravating circumstances. UJI Crim. 39.33 relates to the weighing process, not to the threshold determination of whether an aggravating circumstance exists. We have previously held that UJI Crim. 39.33 does not allow the death penalty to be imposed in an arbitrary manner which is not rationally reviewable. State v. Cheadle, 22 SBB 1319 (1983); State v. Garcia . There is no indication that the jury is to consider nonstatutory aggravating circumstances. Therefore, we again find no fault with UJI Crim. 39.33.