Opinion ID: 1447881
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Defendant's Penalty Phase Evidence

Text: Defendant's father, Dave Wader, testified that his wife, Rachel Wader, gave birth to defendant in 1946 in San Diego, and that when defendant was 18 months old, Rachel just took off, after which neighbors took defendant into their home. Defendant later lived with Dave's brother in Detroit. In 1950, when defendant was four years old, Dave Wader remarried. He and his new wife, Helen, then had defendant live with them in San Diego. At age 13, defendant began running away from home. As a teenager, defendant spent a lot of time hitchhiking across the country. One day, in the late 1970's, Dave Wader was on a river fishing trip with defendant when a boat with three children in it capsized. Defendant swam across the river and saved the children. Also, when Dave Wader's father and father-in-law were ill, defendant took care of them. Helen Wader, defendant's stepmother, testified that defendant was four years old when he came to live with her in San Diego. When defendant was about 12 years old, Helen gave birth to a daughter, and defendant's behavior then changed. He began a pattern of running away and getting in trouble. During his teenage years, defendant received psychiatric help. When Helen's father became ill, defendant took care of him, and her father adored defendant. Beatrice Mungie, the mother of defendant's stepmother, described defendant as a normal and affectionate child. When her husband was ill with cancer, defendant took care of him and was very gentle with him. Robert Mungie, the brother of defendant's stepmother, was a salesperson and a Baptist minister who had spent 30 years in the Navy and had substantial experience as a counselor. He first met defendant when defendant was about five or six years old, and observed him as he grew up. Defendant was an unwanted and abandoned child, and had a rough life. Defendant's father and stepmother were very abusive to him. When defendant as a child would talk back or do something wrong, his father and stepmother would hit him, often with their fists, or kick him. This was a regular occurrence. Robert Mungie characterized the hitting as abuse, noting, You don't hit a kid with your fist and call it discipline. Defendant became fearful and submissive. Robert Mungie tried to talk to defendant's father and stepmother about their treatment of defendant, but they were very stubborn people. William Wader, defendant's uncle, testified he had known defendant since defendant's birth. As a child, defendant suffered a head injury that affected his eyesight. Defendant's stepmother displayed no affection toward defendant. Instead, she would discipline him roughly, beating him on the head. Carrie Kleiboker was 15 or 16 years old when she met defendant in 1980 or 1981. At that time, her mother had injured herself and had to lie flat on her back. Defendant helped out around the house, bringing them food and otherwise assisting the family for three or four months. Carrie Kleiboker's testimony was corroborated by her mother, Norma Roach, and her sister, Lori Duffet. Mary Kimble, defendant's girlfriend, testified that she introduced defendant to Nona Dingley, a woman in her 80's who was blind and ill. Defendant brought Dingley groceries, took her out to dinner, and did whatever he could for her. Defendant also helped Kimble with her son, who had been molested by his father and would not talk about it. Defendant was the only person who was able to get the boy to talk about the experience, and encouraged him to talk to a psychiatrist. According to Kimble, defendant was a positive influence in her son's life.
James Park, a correctional consultant who had 35 years of experience with prison management and operations, and had been an associate warden at two California prisons, described maximum security imprisonment in California. He testified that maximum security prisoners can be managed with a high degree of safety for staff and other prisoners, and that prisoners with long-term sentences are generally a stabilizing influence in the prison community.