Opinion ID: 1401004
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Mitigation Phase at Trial

Text: During the mitigation phase, counsel called six witnesses to testify for Mr. Wilson. Two individuals knew Mr. Wilson through church, but they could provide only limited observations about Mr. Wilson, including that he was mannerable, respectful, and intelligent. Tr. trans. 2/19/97, at 13, 19, 22. Two of Mr. Wilson's former teachers also testified. Because they had not seen him in approximately five to six years, they also provided only limited insight, describing Mr. Wilson as respectful, fun-loving, and a very good student. Id. at 35, 38. Counsel's most important witness was Dr. Reynolds. On direct examination, counsel asked Dr. Reynolds generally about the tests administered to Mr. Wilson. He asked Dr. Reynolds about Mr. Wilson's high IQ of approximately 126, placing Mr. Wilson in the superior range of intelligence category, which, Dr. Reynolds stated, indicated that Mr. Wilson could do something with himself. Tr. trans. 2/19/97, at 55-56, 63. Counsel asked Dr. Reynolds only a few additional questions about the results of his testing. In response, Dr. Reynolds testified that Mr. Wilson experienced a severe mental disorder with many of the personality scales elevated. That would suggest that he has a severe personality disturbance. Id. at 57. Despite the fact that Dr. Reynolds had other diagnoses to give, counsel asked him no further questions about the specific results and conclusions from the psychiatric testing. Counsel asked briefly about Mr. Wilson's social history; Dr. Reynolds described in a few sentences Mr. Wilson's father as someone who was active in drugs and alcohol, and pretty much ... not involved in Michael's life. Id. at 59. Dr. Reynolds focused primarily on the two pictures of Mike. On the one hand, you have the picture of the Sunday school-going child. On the other hand, you have the picture of the gang and the uninvolved father, who did not set a particularly good role model. Id. at 60. At no point did counsel elicit Dr. Reynolds' more concrete, scientifically rooted diagnoses, including the PTSD, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and schizotypal personality features. The entirety of Dr. Reynolds' description of Mr. Wilson's psychological state is no more than a page of the sentencing transcript. What occurred on cross-examination was a train wreck for Mr. Wilson. The prosecutor asked Dr. Reynolds: Q: [A]re there psychopathic criminals who have superior intelligence? A: Yes. . . . . Q: The sharp contrast [Mr. Wilson] exhibits... aren't those classic designs of a psychopath? `Yes' or `no'? A: It can be. Q: And aren't psychopaths the most likely to re-offend, based on the studies? A: Yes. Tr. trans. 2/19/97, at 65. Later in the cross examination, the prosecutor continued: Q: [A]ren't superficial charm and good intelligence, coupled with cunning and manipulative lack of imp[ul]sivity behavior characteristics of a psychopath? A: Yes, they are. Q: And that's what Mr. Wilson has, isn't it? A: Some of those characteristics, he has. Tr. trans. 2/19/97, at 76. In his closing argument, the prosecutor used this testimony to again call Mr. Wilson a psychopathic killer based on the evidence. Tr. trans. 2/20/97, at 46. Finally, Mr. Wilson's mother testified at trial. She had not talked with defense counsel at any point prior to her testimony. She spoke briefly about Mr. Wilson's father and discussed Mr. Wilson's involvement at church. That Ms. Taylor had more to say was apparent from her statement, after defense counsel finished his questioning, that she did want to say something else, if I'm allowed. Tr. trans. 2/19/97, at 103. Because defense counsel had rested, the court could not permit her to do so.