Opinion ID: 1831507
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Error in Sentencing Byrom to Death

Text: I must also conclude that the trial judge erred by sentencing Byrom to death. The majority concludes that the trial judge considered all of Byrom's mitigation evidence. Perhaps he did, but I do not believe he gave it appropriate consideration. Despite the formal sentencing order quoted in full by the majority, I find the judge's at trial comment telling. After mentioning that in his decision he considered Byrom's mitigation factors numbers (1) & (2), the trial judge stated, [p]arenthetically, the Court would observe that these factors are the only factors suggested which would appear and bear consideration by this Court. (emphasis added). I disagree with this assessment. The two mitigation factors that the trial judge decided did not bear consideration are specifically listed in § 99-19-101(6)(c) and (6)(f), respectively, as statutory mitigation factors. In support of these mitigation factors, Byrom introduced the reports of both Drs. Caruso and Lott, which described Byrom's emotional and mental problems in detail. The reports also chronicled Byrom's history of sexual, mental, and physical abuse at the hands of Byrom, Sr. Though this evidence came from Byrom personally and is not definitively established elsewhere, testimony at trial did establish that Byrom, Sr. physically abused Byrom and one of Junior's friends in public on at least one occasion. Junior also testified that Byrom, Sr. physically abused him on other occasions and that after one such instance Junior took the gun used to kill Byrom, Sr. and planned to use it if his father hit him again. Junior also testified that his father drank on a daily basis, and was a totally different person when he drank. Junior further testified that in the six months before the murder there were between three and four cursing fights a week between his parents. Byrom Sr.'s abusive nature was demonstrated at trial and the trial judge's failure to consider it was error. See Jenkins v. State, 607 So.2d 1171 (Miss.1992) (holding that victim characteristics evidence was admissible during penalty phase of capital murder prosecution; the evidence was proper and necessary to development of case and true characteristics of victim and could not have served in any way to incite jury). Dr. Caruso indicated it was his professional opinion that Byrom's capacity to appreciate the criminality of her conduct or to conform her conduct to the requirements of the law was substantially impaired by her Major Depression, Dysthymic Disorder, Alcohol Dependence, Alcohol Intoxication and Borderline Personality Disorder. This is also a statutorily-prescribed mitigation factor. See § 99-19-101(6)(f). The failure to consider this factor was also reversible error. Dr. Caruso also indicated four additional mitigating factors, to-wit, (1) the defendant's history of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse was severe enough to cause her to develop Borderline Personality Disorder and Munchausen's Syndrome, which are markers for severely impaired coping; (2) the defendant's history of abuse modeled violence as problem solving; (3) the defendant's history of abuse left her prone to strike out violently at abusive men, such as the victim; and (4) in addition to Munchausen's Syndrome, the defendant also suffers from significant disabling medical problems. Byrom's other ailments include: lupus, pneumonia, bilateral hip replacement, and severe depression. Several of her health problems are a direct result of her ingestion of rat poison, which, in our opinion, dramatically illustrates her psychological problems. Indeed, Dr. Caruso stated, [t]his rare and puzzling psychiatric disorder indicates that [Byrom's] usual circumstances are so intolerable that she chooses to become a patient, even when that entails undergoing painful diagnostic procedures. While the foregoing factors may not be among those listed in § 99-19-101 as statutory mitigating factors, this Court has held that all evidence relevant to mitigation should be presented to the sentencing body. See Carr v. State, 655 So.2d 824 (Miss.1995) (pointing out that the United States Constitution requires that jury not be precluded from considering any aspect of defendant's character or record or any circumstances of offense as mitigating factors.); Willie v. State, 585 So.2d 660 (Miss.1991) (judge may not preclude jury from considering, in mitigation, any aspect of defendant's character or record or any circumstance of the offense; the only requirement to introducing evidence at the sentencing phase is that it must be relevant); Mackbee v. State, 575 So.2d 16, 39 (Miss. 1990) (This Court has held that the jury must have as much information as possible when it makes its sentencing decision. Mississippi allows evidence of a mitigating circumstance of an unlimited nature). Considering that all doubt is to be resolved in favor of Byrom, I must conclude that the trial judge failed to fully consider and give appropriate weight to all of Byrom's statutory mitigation factors as well as her non-statutory mitigating factors. Byrom is a woman with numerous mental and health problems who lived in an abusive home. She has alleged that her husband forced her to have sexual encounters with persons outside their marriage and that he regularly physically abused her. She has alleged that she was afraid to leave him, that she was afraid for herself and her son, who the evidence indicates was also a victim of abuse at the hands of his father. I do not herein advocate that we should forgive or forget the severity or the crime for which Byrom was convicted, nor should we allow her to escape punishment for the inhumane way in which she bargained away the life of her husband. However, at the same time, we should not forget the reasons why she made such a decision, the factors which led to this final and regrettable decision. Michelle Byrom should be punished. However, based upon the particular facts of this case, and in light of the substantial mitigating evidence presented by Byrom and the evidence suggesting that perhaps Junior, and not Gillis, killed Byrom, Sr., I do not believe that the death penalty was warranted in this case.