Opinion ID: 1359265
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Instruction to Consider Sympathy

Text: Defendants contend that the trial court erred in failing to instruct the jury, on its own initiative, that in its penalty phase deliberations it could consider sympathy or compassion for the defendants. We have consistently held, however, that the trial court does not have to give such an instruction. ( People v. Clark, supra, 3 Cal.4th at p. 163; People v. Andrews, supra, 49 Cal.3d at pp. 227-228; People v. Williams (1988) 44 Cal.3d 883, 955 [245 Cal. Rptr. 336, 751 P.2d 395]; see also California v. Brown (1987) 479 U.S. 538 [93 L.Ed.2d 934, 107 S.Ct. 837].)