Opinion ID: 501759
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Distribution of Trial Court's Findings

Text: 129 Coleman contends that the trial court's preparation of its unsigned Findings before the July 10th hearing violated due process. This argument, however, ignores the trial court's statement at the June 14th hearing: 130 Now the announcement that the defense does not intend to produce any--call any witness to establish any mitigating circumstances, the Court has before it all matters during the course of the trial, heard the testimony relating to aggravating circumstances and also some mitigating circumstances.... 131 The court then indicated it would render its findings of fact and will go up on the record that is present in the absence of any mitigating circumstances presented by the defendant at this hearing. The court also requested proposed findings from the parties. Given the court's statement that it would prepare its Findings, we find unpersuasive the argument that the court's preparation of those findings for the July 10th hearing violated due process. The court did exactly what it said it was going to do, and did so without any objection from Coleman.