Opinion ID: 1891351
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Waiver of Sentencing Recommendation from Penalty Phase Jury

Text: Reynolds next asserts that the trial court abused its discretion and committed reversible error when it refused to honor Reynolds' waiver of his right to a jury's penalty recommendation as to the appropriate sentence. This claim is without merit. We have continually recognized that where a defendant has been convicted of a capital crime, he may waive his right to a jury in the sentencing phase, provided the waiver is voluntary and intelligent. State v. Hernandez, 645 So.2d 432, 434-35 (Fla.1994) (citing Palmes v. State, 397 So.2d 648 (Fla.1981); Holmes v. State, 374 So.2d 944 (Fla.1979); State v. Carr, 336 So.2d 358 (Fla.1976); Lamadline v. State, 303 So.2d 17 (Fla.1974)). We have also recognized that even after a defendant makes a knowing and intelligent waiver of this right, a trial judge may in his or her discretion either require an advisory jury recommendation, or may proceed to sentence the defendant without one. Carr, 336 So.2d at 359 (emphasis supplied). This Court, on more than one occasion, has upheld the exercise of a trial court's discretion in favor of requiring an advisory jury recommendation. See Sireci v. State, 587 So.2d 450 (Fla.1991); Thompson v. State, 389 So.2d 197 (Fla.1980). In Muhammad v. State, 782 So.2d 343 (Fla.2001), we addressed a scenario almost identical to the present case. In Muhammad, the defendant waived the right to a jury's sentencing recommendation and the right to present mitigating evidence. See id. at 350. Notwithstanding the defendant's waiver, the trial judge required a jury sentencing recommendation. See id. The jury returned a sentencing recommendation of death by a vote of ten to two. See id. In sentencing Muhammad to death, the trial court gave great weight to the jury's recommendation. See id. at 361. On appeal, Muhammad alleged that the trial court abused its discretion by requiring an advisory sentence despite Muhammad's waiver of his right to present mitigating evidence and his waiver of a jury's sentencing recommendation. See id. We rejected this claim, holding that the trial court did not abuse its discretion by requiring an advisory sentence even though Muhammad waived presentation of mitigation. See id. However, we did conclude that reversible error occurred when the trial court gave great weight to the jury's recommendation in imposing the death penalty despite the fact that no mitigating evidence was presented for the jury's consideration. Id. Based on our holding in Muhammad, Reynolds' claim must be denied. The trial court below cannot be said to have abused its discretion in requiring a penalty phase jury to render an advisory sentence solely because Reynolds waived the presentation of mitigating evidence before the penalty phase jury. See id. Additionally, the trial court recognized the error committed by the trial court in Muhammad, and explicitly took measures to avoid the same error. In its sentencing order, the trial court below expressly recognized that Reynolds presented no mitigation to the jury, and, therefore, the sentencing order did not give the recommendation of the jury great weight ... in accordance with Muhammad.  (Emphasis supplied.) Based on the foregoing analysis, we conclude that the trial court did not abuse its discretion, and, therefore, Reynolds' claim is denied.