Opinion ID: 1162628
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Ruling on Application for Modification of Verdict of Death

Text: Defendant contends that the court committed prejudicial error in ruling on his application for modification of the verdict of death pursuant to Penal Code section 190.4, subdivision (e). Specifically, he argues that the court (1) improperly considered the absence of mitigating evidence going to diminished capacity under section 190.3 to be evidence in aggravation, and (2) refused to consider the background and character evidence he had presented in the erroneous belief that such evidence was immaterial. To support his point, defendant refers us to the court's comments at the verdict-modification hearing [9] and the minute order relevant to that proceeding. [10] For argument's sake, we shall agree with defendant that the court erred as he claims it did. We cannot agree, however, that the claimed error was prejudicial: in view of the overwhelming evidence in aggravation and the minimal evidence in mitigation, the claimed error was harmless under any standard.