Opinion ID: 1124985
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Application of the Statutory Aggravating Circumstances

Text: When reviewing a district court's findings and analysis of mitigating and aggravating factors, we must review the record of the district court's findings to determine whether the district court met the mandates of I.C. § 19-2515. State v. Osborn, 102 Idaho 405, 631 P.2d 187 (1981). We specifically must determine: (1) whether the district court overlooked or ignored any raised mitigating factors; (2) whether the evidence supports the aggravating factors found; and (3) whether the district court properly weighed all of the factors. Id. at 415, 631 P.2d at 197. We are not to reweigh the factors. Rather, we are only to determine if there is evidence to support the aggravating factors and whether the weighing process properly was done. State v. Aragon, 107 Idaho 358, 366, 690 P.2d 293, 301 (1984). The first inquiry of the Osborn analysis requires this Court to determine whether any mitigating factors were overlooked. See Osborn, 102 Idaho at 415, 631 P.2d at 197. Porter's defense counsel presented very little mitigation evidence, explaining at the post-conviction relief proceeding that he found it difficult to present mitigation evidence, particularly with respect to remorse, when Porter maintained that he was innocent. Nonetheless, Porter requested that the district court recognize, as a mitigating factor, that he suffered from a personality disorder with an intermittent explosive disorder. Although the district court considered this factor, the court listed the factor as a nonstatutory aggravating circumstance. In State v. Leavitt, 121 Idaho 4, 7, 822 P.2d 523, 526 (1991), cert. denied, 506 U.S. 972, 113 S.Ct. 460, 121 L.Ed.2d 368 (1992), this Court affirmed a district court's consideration of a similar factor as a mitigating factor. We do not believe, however, that Leavitt mandates that a personality disorder with an intermittent explosive disorder always must be a mitigating factor, nor do we blankly declare that any particular factor always must be either aggravating or mitigating. Rather, the determination of whether a factor is mitigating or aggravating in a specific case is a factual one. State v. Creech, 105 Idaho 362, 372, 670 P.2d 463, 473 (1983), cert. denied, 465 U.S. 1051, 104 S.Ct. 1327, 79 L.Ed.2d 722 (1984) (the plain language of [I.C. § 19-2515], we hold, requires the judge to list evidence which, in his capacity as a fact finder, he has found to be valid, competent, and pertinent to the issue of whether the death penalty should be imposed.) (emphasis added). See also I.C. § 19-2515(f) (requiring sentencing judge to make written findings regarding any aggravating and/or mitigating circumstances found); I.C. § 19-2515(g) (Upon making the prescribed findings, the court shall impose the sentence within the limits fixed by law) (emphasis added); I.C.R. 33.1(b) (the trial court shall . . . make written findings as required by section 19-2515(e), Idaho Code) (emphasis added); Osborn, 102 Idaho at 414-415, 631 P.2d at 196-97. Therefore, in reviewing a sentencing court's consideration of a factor as aggravating or mitigating, this Court employs the clearly erroneous standard applicable to factual determinations. Cf. I.R.C.P. 52(a) (Findings of fact shall not be set aside unless clearly erroneous.); State v. Araiza, 124 Idaho 82, 87, 856 P.2d 872, 877 (1993) (applying clearly erroneous standard to trial court findings regarding the validity of the prosecutor's explanation for exercising peremptory challenges). We will defer to factual findings made by the lower court if supported by substantial and competent evidence in the record. In this case, a psychiatrist who examined Porter concluded his analysis of Porter's Atypical Impulse Control Disorder by stating: It appears to this examiner that Mr. Porter is able to choose the time and person and place when he will allow his anger to explode. In view of this it would appear to this psychiatrist that his temper outbursts are not uncontrollable but are rather uncontrolled at times of his choosing against people of his choosing. While this is a major social problem and constitutes significant social functional impairment, it does not in the opinion of this examiner result from a defineable illness which would make it impossible for him to control his anger and its attendant behavior. This psychiatric evaluation constitutes substantial and competent evidence supporting the trial court's finding that Porter's explosive personality disorder was an aggravating, as opposed to a mitigating, circumstance. We conclude, therefore, that the district court did not overlook or ignore any mitigating factors. Porter argues that the district court erroneously found nonstatutory aggravating circumstances that were not supported by the record. At the outset, it should be noted that this Court has determined that a district court properly may find aggravating circumstances not listed under I.C. § 19-2515(h). See Creech, 105 Idaho at 369-70, 670 P.2d at 470-71. Porter's contention may be correct, as it is questionable whether the record supports several of the nonstatutory aggravating circumstances that the district court found. However, it is not relevant whether the record supported any of these nonstatutory aggravating circumstances because it does not appear that the district court based its sentencing decision on nonstatutory aggravating circumstances. Therefore, this Court will not review whether the record supports those circumstances. See id. at 369, 670 P.2d at 470. The district court found beyond a reasonable doubt three statutory aggravating factors: (1) the murder was especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel and manifested exceptional depravity; (2) Porter, by prior conduct and by conduct in the commission of the murder at hand, has exhibited a propensity to commit murder and probably will constitute a continuing threat to society; and (3) the murder in question was committed against a witness or potential witness in a criminal proceeding, because of such proceeding. See I.C. § 19-2515(h)(5), (8), and (10) (respectively). In order to comply with Osborn, only one of the statutory aggravating circumstances must be found to exist beyond a reasonable doubt. I.C. § 19-2515(h); State v. Sivak, 127 Idaho 387, 392, 901 P.2d 494, 499 (1995), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 116 S.Ct. 819, 133 L.Ed.2d 763 (1996). With respect to the first factor, we are inclined to agree with the district court that there was evidence to support the finding that Jones' murder was especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel. The autopsy report established that the victim was severely beaten. Although the pathologist testified that the victim may have been knocked unconscious by the initial blow to her head, he also testified that she had numerous bruises on her forearms that appeared to be defensive wounds. According to testimony presented at the trial, the amount of blood found at the murder scene additionally indicates that many of the victim's wounds were inflicted before she actually died. Thus, considerable evidence supports the court's finding that, beyond a reasonable doubt, Jones suffered at the hands of her killer before she died. Furthermore, considerable evidence exists to support the district court's finding that Porter has a propensity to commit murder, or the second factor. Despite Porter's argument that he has never committed murder, has never been charged with murder, and has never attempted to murder someone, evidence of his physically abusive tendencies was presented at trial. The testimony appears to demonstrate that Porter, at the time he physically abused his former girlfriends, was not able to control his actions and may have beaten to death any one of them during the course of any of the incidents about which the witnesses testified. Consequently, the evidence supports the second aggravating factor with, at least, some certainty. We are not inclined to uphold the district court's finding that the murder was committed against a witness because of such proceeding. Although it is true that Jones likely would have been a witness at the proceeding regarding the battery charge of December 7, 1988, nothing in the record supports a conclusion that Porter killed Jones because of the pending misdemeanor proceeding. Thus, the record does not support beyond a reasonable doubt the third aggravating factor. According to the district court's Findings in Considering the Death Penalty, the court correctly weighed all of the mitigating circumstances against each of the aggravating circumstances. Despite our decision not to uphold the district court's finding that the murder was committed against a witness because of such proceeding, we recognize that the district court correctly found two aggravating factors and properly weighed each against all of the mitigating factors. See I.C. § 19-2515(c). Thus, we affirm the sentence.