Opinion ID: 1949657
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: court's findings as to aggravating and mitigating circumstances in support of the death penalty

Text: The Defendant, IRA AMAZON, was found guilty of Murder in the First Degree of Joy F. Chapin and Murder in the First Degree of Jennifer Chapin, the verdicts being returned on Saturday, November 20, 1982. On Sunday, November 21, 1982, this Court conducted the penalty phase of the trial. Both the State and the Defendant presented evidence as to aggravating and mitigating circumstances. After deliberation, the Jury returned a recommendation to the Court to impose life sentences. This Court is not unmindful of the Florida Supreme Court's guidance to Trial Courts in cases involving the sentence of death over a recommendation of life by the jury. In Tedder v. State, 322 So.2d 908, (Fla. 1975) at page 910, the Supreme Court said, A jury recommendation under our trifurcated death penalty statute should be given great weight. In order to sustain a sentence of death following a jury recommendation of life, the facts suggesting a sentence of death should be so clear and convincing that virtually no reasonable person could differ. The facts in the case sub judice suggesting a sentence of death are SO CLEAR AND CONVINCING that VIRTUALLY NO REASONABLE PERSON WOULD DIFFER. It should also be noted that the Supreme Court further stated in the Tedder case, It is apparent that all killings are atrocious,   . Still, we believe that the Legislature intended something `especially' heinous, atrocious or cruel when it authorized the death penalty for first degree murder. (Supra at page 910). In the case before this Court, the murders of Joy F. Chapin and Jennifer Chapin were `ESPECIALLY HEINOUS, ATROCIOUS AND CRUEL.' The sentence of death is imposed by this Court because the aggravating circumstances which were proven beyond a reasonable doubt, vastly outweigh the mitigating circumstances.