Opinion ID: 1746564
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: The Mitigation Instruction

Text: Smith next argues that the trial court abused its discretion in denying his request for a special jury instruction. Smith requested a jury instruction regarding his list of nonstatutory mitigating factors. The trial court denied the request, noting that counsel could argue all the particulars supported by the evidence but that the court would give the standard catch-all instruction. We have consistently found no abuse of discretion in denying a request for such a special instruction. See Belcher v. State, 851 So.2d 678, 685 (Fla.2003); James v. State, 695 So.2d 1229, 1236 (Fla.1997). Therefore, we affirm the trial court's denial of Smith's request.