Opinion ID: 6109557
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Lay Witnesses Who Testified to Mr. McFadden's Upbringing in Pine Lawn

Text: During the penalty phase, defense counsel first called Elaine Hood, who knew Mr. McFadden because he was friends with her daughters when they were younger. As he got older, Mr. McFadden babysat Ms. Hood's grandsons four or five times per week. When she and Mr. McFadden saw each other, which was just about every day, they would talk about church, jobs, and staying out of trouble. Ms. Hood enjoyed being around Mr. McFadden. She also testified regarding the culture of Pine Lawn, saying it was a rough neighborhood because of all the shootings, which were terrifying and the main reason she moved. Even though violence and drugs were rampant in Pine Lawn, she testified on cross-examination she knew good people who lived in the community. Counsel also brought in family members to discuss Mr. McFadden's upbringing. Mr. McFadden's aunt testified regarding his childhood. She recalled his father was a severe alcoholic and his mother worked two jobs to support the family, often leaving Mr. McFadden and his sisters home alone. The siblings ended up staying with their aunt frequently, and she always made sure he attended sports or other activities and supported him during those activities. She believed she was a good role model for the children. Finally, Mr. McFadden's aunt also recounted he was  small for his size and picked on regularly but was never beaten or sexually abused. Another of Mr. McFadden's aunts also testified, as did her husband, a church minister. 6 She and her husband got Mr. McFadden involved in church. They treated him as their son and participated in fun activities with him. Mr. McFadden was small for his age and when other kids bullied him, his uncle would intervene. When he was a teenager, Mr. McFadden requested to live with them permanently. Had he done so, they would have intervened to prevent him from taking part in inappropriate activities, but unfortunately, Mr. McFadden's mother would not allow him to live with them permanently. Mr. McFadden's grandmother similarly discussed his upbringing, describing that Mr. McFadden's mother was often absent and his father suffered from alcoholism, though he was never aggressive, violent, or in prison. Mr. McFadden stayed with his grandmother often, sometimes for extended periods of time. His grandmother and grandfather were good to Mr. McFadden and provided him with a good home. Finally, Mr. McFadden's father testified. He said, because he was an alcoholic, he would often promise to do things with Mr. McFadden but then never show up, which often left his son disappointed. His father did not believe he was good to Mr. McFadden, but he always made sure his children had something to eat. On cross-examination, Mr. McFadden's father discussed Mr. McFadden's time at Tarkio Academy, an alternative school, and admitted it was likely his son's fighting behavior that placed him there. He further testified he was unsure whether his son was the one being bullied or the one bullying others but knew his son got into fights often and had visible bruises and injuries.