Opinion ID: 2543856
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Defense's Penalty Phase Case in Mitigation

Text: In mitigation, the defense presented evidence of defendant's emotional and physical abuse as a child. John Carey, defendant's father, testified that defendant was born in Atchison, Kansas, on March 21, 1960. He was the oldest of three children. The family moved often, and by the time defendant started school they were living in New Haven, Connecticut. From the time defendant was an infant, John punished him by hitting him with his hand or with a belt. When defendant was about 10 years old, the family moved to California. Several months later defendant's parents divorced, and his father returned to Kansas. After living with their mother for a year, the children joined their father in Kansas. Defendant's stepmother beat him and his brother. Once a neighbor heard the boys' screams and called the police. Meanwhile defendant's mother had become an alcoholic. After an argument with his stepmother when defendant was 15 years old, he returned to California to live with his mother. Defendant's cousin, Shirley Reedus, testified that she often saw defendant while they were in grammar school in California. Defendant had no problems in school at that time. Once Reedus saw defendant's father beat him. Defense investigator Richard Fox testified that when he interviewed Norman Hughes about the 1979 stone-throwing incident, Hughes told him that defendant had threatened him with either a large stick or a pipe, not a knife. Perry Scranton, a longtime friend of defendant's, testified he was present on July 3, 1985, when defendant shot Eli Martinez after an argument about parking a car in front of defendant's apartment building. One of the Hispanic men whistled and in response 10 to 15 Hispanics armed with sticks, chains, knives, and bottles appeared out of nowhere. Defendant left to retrieve a gun. One of the Hispanic men was holding a metal pipe. The man yelled, Kill me. Kill me. He drew back as if getting ready to strike defendant, who then shot him. Albert Colquitt was defendant's cabinetry instructor while defendant was incarcerated at Calipatria State Prison in 1992. Colquitt described defendant as an excellent student and a role model for other prisoners.