Opinion ID: 1587246
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Accomplice mitigator.

Text: The trial judge instructed the jury with respect to both appellants to consider, if believed to be true, the mitigating circumstance described in KRS 532.025(2)(b)(5), viz: The defendant was an accomplice in a capital offense committed by another person and [his][her] participation in the capital offense was relatively minor. Both appellants assert error in the trial judge's refusal to delete the language, and [his][her] participation in the capital offense was relatively minor. We disagree. To delete the language in question would completely change the meaning and intent of this statutory mitigating circumstance. Obviously, major participation by an accomplice in a capital offense is not a mitigating circumstance. Tison v. Arizona, 481 U.S. at 157-58, 107 S.Ct. at 1688.