Opinion ID: 2052707
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Inadequate Psychiatric Care

Text: Next, defendant contends that the death penalty is inappropriate in his case because the State negligently or recklessly failed to provide the psychiatric treatment that Dr. Ziporyn had recommended. As a result of the State's failure to provide this treatment, defendant argues, he was unable to work through his anger and murdered Christopher because he could not control his emotions. In fact, defendant asserts that [t]he instant case, in short, could have been prevented except for the negligence of the Department of Corrections. On this basis, he requests that we vacate his death sentence. It is the function of a capital sentencing jury to balance factors in aggravation and mitigation at the second stage of sentencing, and its decision will not be overturned lightly, particularly where that decision is amply supported by the record. People v. Hooper, 172 Ill.2d 64, 77, 216 Ill.Dec. 633, 665 N.E.2d 1190 (1996). Mitigation evidence of a defendant's cognitive abilities and mental health does not preclude imposition of a death sentence when that evidence is outweighed by aggravating evidence. People v. Pulliam, 176 Ill.2d 261, 286, 223 Ill.Dec. 610, 680 N.E.2d 343 (1997). In this case, before deciding to impose the death penalty, the jury heard the evidence that defendant received less than all of the treatment recommended by Dr. Ziporyn. Other evidence presented at the aggravation-mitigation stage, however, indicated that defendant did receive some counseling and that additional treatment may have been of limited value, given that treatment could not rectify the brain dysfunction from which defendant suffered. In addition, the jury heard evidence concerning the details of defendant's brutal murders of two children and his propensity for violence. Based on this record, we will not overturn the jury's decision to sentence defendant to death. See, e.g., Madej, 177 Ill.2d at 139-40, 226 Ill.Dec. 453, 685 N.E.2d 908 (mitigating evidence of the defendant's cognitive difficulties, mental health, and abuse did not outweigh evidence in aggravation); Pulliam, 176 Ill.2d at 286, 223 Ill.Dec. 610, 680 N.E.2d 343 (the death penalty was appropriate for defendant's murder and sexual abuse of a child despite mitigating evidence of the defendant's depression, abuse as a child, anti-social personality disorder, and low IQ).