Opinion ID: 1262655
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Enmund/Tison Hearing

Text: Robinson and Washington argue that Enmund v. Florida, 458 U.S. 782, 102 S.Ct. 3368, 73 L.Ed.2d 1140 (1982), and Tison v. Arizona, 481 U.S. 137, 107 S.Ct. 1676, 95 L.Ed.2d 127 (1987), preclude imposition of the death sentence. In Enmund, the Supreme Court held that the eighth amendment is violated if the death penalty is imposed for murder based upon an aider and abetter theory unless the defendant killed, attempted to kill, or intended to kill the victim. 458 U.S. at 797, 102 S.Ct. at 3376, 73 L.Ed.2d at 1151. The Supreme Court held that because Enmund was a minor actor in an armed robbery, was not on the scene when the killing occurred, never intended to kill, and had no culpable mental state, the death sentence was unwarranted. However, when a defendant's participation in a felony is major and is combined with reckless indifference to human life, the Enmund culpability requirement is satisfied. Tison, 481 U.S. at 158, 107 S.Ct. at 1688, 95 L.Ed.2d at 145. Evidence exists in this case that Robinson loaded firearms into his vehicle in preparation for the trip from Banning to Yuma, that Washington was at least present when the hands and feet of Ralph and Sterleen Hill were bound, that the Hills were terrorized with firearms, that Robinson masterminded the trip, and that Washington was at least present in the Hills' home when Ralph Hill was wounded and Sterleen Hill was murdered. The requisite culpability was met as to both Robinson and Washington. Robinson and Washington argue that a separate Enmund/Tison evidentiary hearing was required in order to determine the extent of the respective defendant's personal culpability for the slaying. We disagree. Previously, when this court has remanded matters to the trial court for such hearings, the principles articulated under Enmund/Tison were not in effect at the time that the aggravation-mitigation hearings were conducted, and therefore Enmund/Tison principles were not considered by the sentencing courts. See, e.g., State v. Tison, 160 Ariz. 501, 502, 774 P.2d 805, 806 (1989). In the matter before us, the trial court expressly addressed the Enmund/Tison factors. No separate hearing was required. In this case, the trial court found two aggravating circumstances applied to Washington, and that three applied to Robinson. Based upon our independent review of the aggravating circumstances, we have concluded that two aggravating circumstances apply to Washington and Robinson. These two aggravating circumstances are sufficient to warrant imposition of the death penalty.