Opinion ID: 1779107
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Trial Court Minimized the Jury's Role During Sentencing

Text: Dufour contends that the trial court's comments with regard to the advisory role of the jury unconstitutionally minimized the jury's role in the sentencing process. This claim is procedurally barred because a claim of error regarding the instructions given by the trial court should have been presented on direct appeal and is not cognizable through collateral attack. See, e.g., Stewart v. State, 801 So.2d 59, 64 n. 6 (Fla.2001); Gorham v. State, 521 So.2d 1067, 1070 (Fla.1988). Procedural bar notwithstanding, Dufour's claim is meritless. This Court has repeatedly determined that challenges to the standard jury instructions that refer to the jury as advisory and that refer to the jury's verdict as a recommendation violate Caldwell v. Mississippi, 472 U.S. 320, 105 S.Ct. 2633, 86 L.Ed.2d 231 (1985) are without merit. Card v. State, 803 So.2d 613, 628 (Fla.2001); see also Brown v. State, 721 So.2d 274, 283 (Fla.1998) (holding that the standard jury instructions fully advise the jury of the importance of its role, correctly state the law, do not denigrate the role of the jury, and do not violate Caldwell ); Rose v. State, 617 So.2d 291, 297 (Fla.1993) (rejecting the claim that the sentencing jury was misled by instructions and argument that diluted their sense of responsibility pursuant to the rationale of Caldwell and that counsel was ineffective for failing to object because the jury instructions correctly informed the jury of its sentencing role); Mendyk v. State, 592 So.2d 1076, 1080-81 (Fla.1992) (rejecting Mendyk's position that counsel was ineffective for failing to object to an alleged Caldwell violation); Robinson v. State, 574 So.2d 108 (Fla.1991) (same); Combs v. State, 525 So.2d 853 (Fla.1988) (same).