Opinion ID: 1915237
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: issues on appeal of the sentences of death

Text: Appellant contends that the prosecutor made improper, inflammatory, and prejudicial remarks to the jury in his argument at the sentencing phase of the trial. Based on the reconstructed record of the prosecutor's closing argument at the sentencing phase, we find that no reversible error occurred. Although, as the trial court found, the remarks were somewhat dramatic in character, they were not inflammatory or inordinately emotional. The argument was no more emotional than is normal in a criminal trial. The facts of the murders themselves had already been determined by the jury as expressed in their verdicts finding appellant guilty of two counts of first-degree murder. A prosecutor is allowed fair comment on the facts shown by the evidence and the facts of this case were such as to justify a somewhat dramatic presentation by the prosecutor on the question of sentencing. We find no reversible error. Next appellant contends that reversible error occurred at the penalty phase of the trial when a medical examiner characterized one of the killings as having been carried out execution-style. Appellant contends that this testimony constituted an opinion on a matter not within the medical examiner's area of expertise. Appellant relies on the principle that expert opinion testimony is only proper with regard to matters that are scientific or technical in nature and beyond the common understanding of laypersons. He argues further that the ordinary opinion given by the witness was improperly raised to the level of expert testimony due to the witness's status as a medical expert. The medical examiner's testimony referring to one of the killings as executionstyle was given in connection with his description of the paths of the bullets that caused the death of John Eubanks. The characterization was based on the fact that the paths of the bullets showed that Eubanks was shot twice in the back of the head. The paths of the bullets were proper matters for the medical examiner to testify about. The further characterization of the killing as having been done executionstyle, while not technically an opinion on a matter beyond the understanding of laypersons, was not such as to prejudice the rights of the defendant. It should be noted that the jury recommended a sentence of life imprisonment for the murder of Eubanks. The jury was probably influenced by the fact that state witness Schmidt was the direct perpetrator of the killing of Eubanks. Therefore appellant was not prejudiced by the examiner's commentary regarding the killing of Eubanks insofar as the jury's sentencing recommendation was concerned. We therefore find no reversible error on this point. Appellant contends that his sentence of death for the murder of John Eubanks must be vacated because the trial court considered non-record and non-disclosed information and further because such information was considered in aggravation even though it did not relate to any statutory aggravating circumstances. In his findings of fact the trial judge found that the jury recommended a sentence of death for the murder of Walton Farmer by a vote of ten to two and a sentence of life imprisonment for the murder of Eubanks by a vote of seven to five. The judge then made reference to his having given due regard and consideration to the strength of the recommended sentence of death for the murder of Walton Robert Farmer voted by the trial jury, and to the relative weakness of the vote by the trial jury to recommend a sentence of life for the murder of John Smith Eubanks. Appellant argues that any consideration of the relative weakness of the jury's vote to recommend a life sentence is prohibited. He characterizes it as non-record information, that is, information obtained other than through evidence properly presented in court for consideration in sentencing. He asserts that it was not disclosed to him in time to allow for challenge or rebuttal before sentence was imposed. And he argues that any consideration of the matter in question makes it a prohibited non-statutory aggravating circumstance. We conclude that the error, if error there was, is harmless in view of the fact that, viewing the sentencing findings in their totality, we find both sentences of death to be appropriate under the law. The fact that the jury recommended a sentence of life imprisonment for the murder of Eubanks by a vote of seven to five was not a proper matter to consider as an aggravating circumstance regarding that murder. Although vote counts by which juries have recommended death or life imprisonment have been referred to by this Court in opinions deciding capital sentencing cases, e.g., Walsh v. State, 418 So.2d 1000, 1003 (Fla. 1982); Raulerson v. State, 358 So.2d 826, 831 (Fla.), cert. denied, 439 U.S. 959, 99 S.Ct. 364, 58 L.Ed.2d 352 (1978), the margin by which a jury recommends life imprisonment has no relevance to the question of whether such recommendation should be followed. Even when based on a tie vote, a jury recommendation of life is entitled to great deference. Moreover, we can find no place in the record where the vote tally on the jury's recommended sentence for the murder of Eubanks is shown other than the trial court's findings of fact. Nor does it appear that defense counsel was informed of the fact until he saw it mentioned in the findings of fact issued contemporaneously with the imposition of sentence. However, it is clear that the vote count was only mentioned as a commentary on the course of the proceedings and was not a substantial factor upon which the trial judge relied in deciding to impose the sentence of death. There was no consideration of it as a non-statutory aggravating circumstance. Our review of the record of the sentencing proceeding and the court's findings reveals that the jury's recommendation with regard to the sentence for the murder of Eubanks was given proper consideration. The error, if any, was harmless. We now come to the multitude of arguments presented by appellant with regard to the other sentencing findings and the sentences of death. He challenges several of the court's findings in aggravation, argues that there were mitigating factors not considered or not assigned proper weight, and questions the appropriateness of the sentences of death under all of the circumstances. Regarding the murder of John Eubanks, the trial court found the following aggravating circumstances. (1) The murder was committed for financial gain. See § 921.141(5)(f), Fla. Stat. (1981). (2) The murder was especially wicked, atrocious or cruel. See Id. § 921.141(5)(h). (3) The murder was committed in a cold, calculated and premeditated manner without any pretense of moral or legal justification. Id. § 921.141(5)(i). The trial court found one statutory mitigating circumstance: that appellant had no significant history of prior criminal activity. Id. § 921.141(6)(a). The judge specifically found that all the other mitigating factors in the statute were not shown by the evidence and further found that there was no proof or reasonably convincing showing that any other aspect of [appellant's] character or record or any other circumstance of the offense is a circumstance to be considered in mitigation of his sentence. In justification of his departure from the jury's sentencing recommendation for the murder of Eubanks, the trial judge found that the circumstances suggesting that the sentence of death is the only appropriate sentence are so clear and convincing that virtually no reasonable person could differ and that the facts and circumstances of the murder admit of no sentence but death. With regard to the murder of Walton Farmer, the trial court found aggravating circumstances as follows. (1) At the time of his conviction of the murder, appellant had previously been convicted of another capital offense, to-wit, the premeditated murder of John Eubanks. See § 921.141(5)(b), Fla. Stat. (1981). (2) The murder was committed for financial gain. See Id. § 921.141(5)(f). (3) The murder was especially wicked, atrocious, or cruel. See Id. § 921.141(5)(h). (4) The murder was committed in a cold, calculated and premeditated manner without any pretense of moral or legal justification. Id. § 921.141(5)(i). Regarding each of the five statutory mitigating circumstances argued by the defense, the trial court specifically found that they had not been established and added that there was no proof or reasonably convincing showing that any other apsects of [defendant's] character or record or any other circumstance of the offense is a circumstance to be considered in mitigation of his sentence. With regard to both sentences of death, appellant says that the aggravating circumstances found were not supported by the evidence. He argues that the murders were not committed for pecuniary gain, that they were not heinous, atrocious, or cruel, and that they were not committed in a cold, calculated manner. He argues that any special heinousness or cruelty shown by the murder of Eubanks cannot be attributed to him because Schmidt was the actual killer of Eubanks. He argues that his contemporaneous conviction for the murder of Eubanks cannot support the aggravating factor of previous conviction of a violent felony found by the judge in imposing a death sentence for the murder of Farmer. The aggravating circumstance that the murders were committed for pecuniary gain was established by testimony concerning the cattle-theft scheme and testimony to the effect that appellant believed that with Eubanks out of the way, the unsupervised control of the ranch would be entrusted to appellant, enabling him to convert all its assets to his own use and benefit. When Farmer appeared as a candidate to replace appellant, this scheme required his elimination also. The finding that the murders were committed in a cold and calculated manner without pretense of moral or legal justification is also applicable. The trial judge found that appellant planned the murders in advance based on a coldly rational, calculated scheme arrived at for reasons of his interest in maintaining and expanding his position of control over the cattle ranch. The finding was supported by evidence. We approve the finding. We agree, however, with appellant's argument that the murders were not especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel. Although fully premeditated, the murders were carried out quickly by shooting. Based on our interpretation of the statute, we find insufficient support in the evidence for the trial court's finding on this point. Tafero v. State, 403 So.2d 355 (Fla. 1981), cert. denied, 455 U.S. 983, 102 S.Ct. 1492, 71 L.Ed.2d 694 (1982); Lewis v. State, 377 So.2d 640 (Fla. 1979); Kampff v. State, 371 So.2d 1007 (Fla. 1979). Appellant contends that the trial court erred in considering, as a factor in aggravation of the murder of Farmer, the conviction for the murder of Eubanks. Appellant argues that the statutory aggravating circumstance, The defendant was previously convicted of another capital felony or of a felony involving the use or threat of violence to the person, § 921.141(5)(b), Fla. Stat. (1981), should be construed to refer to convictions obtained previous to the offense for which the defendant is being sentenced. This Court has rejected this argument and held that the aggravating circumstance can be established by contemporaneous and subsequent convictions. Ruffin v. State, 397 So.2d 277 (Fla.), cert. denied, 454 U.S. 882, 102 S.Ct. 368, 70 L.Ed.2d 194 (1981); King v. State, 390 So.2d 315 (Fla. 1980), cert. denied, 450 U.S. 989, 101 S.Ct. 1529, 67 L.Ed.2d 825 (1981); Elledge v. State, 346 So.2d 998 (Fla. 1977). Appellant contends that the trial court erred in sentencing him to death for the murder of Eubanks when the jury recommended a sentence of life imprisonment for that offense. Appellant relies on Tedder v. State, 322 So.2d 908 (Fla. 1975), which said: A jury recommendation under our trifurcated death penalty statute should be given great weight. In order to sustain a sentence of death following a jury recommendation of life, the facts suggesting a sentence of death should be so clear and convincing that virtually no reasonable person could differ. Id. at 910. Appellant argues that the jury's recommendation here was reasonable because appellant was not the actual perpetrator of the murder of Eubanks. The trial judge did not fail or refuse to give adequate consideration to the jury's recommendation. He considered the recommendation and specifically found that the Tedder standard was met. Under the capital felony sentencing law followed in the State of Florida, the recommendation of the jury is not binding but is advisory only. § 921.141(2), Fla. Stat. (1981) (the jury shall deliberate and render an advisory sentence to the court). The legislature of the State of Florida acted within its prerogative in establishing that the final sentencing authority would lie with the judge rather than the jury. In Spaziano v. State, 433 So.2d 508, 511 (Fla. 1983), aff'd, 468 U.S. 447, 104 S.Ct. 3154, 82 L.Ed.2d 340 (1984), this Court held that the facts and circumstances of the crime were such that the facts suggesting that the death sentence be imposed over the jury's recommendation of life ... meets the clear and convincing test to allow override of the jury's recommendation in accordance with previous decisions of this Court. Tedder v. State, 322 So.2d 908 (Fla. 1975). We also held that the imposition of a death sentence following a jury's recommendation of life imprisonment was not a violation of double jeopardy protections because under the statute the jury's recommendation is not intended as controlling but only as advisory. On appeal the United States Supreme Court affirmed our judgment holding that there is no constitutional requirement that capital sentencing be performed by a jury; that Florida's statutory provision treating the jury's sentencing verdict as advisory and reposing final sentencing authority with the court is not invalid as allowing cruel or unusual punishment; and that the imposition of a death sentence following a jury recommendation of life did not violate the prohibition against double jeopardy. Spaziano v. Florida, 468 U.S. 447, 104 S.Ct. 3154, 82 L.Ed.2d 340 (1984). By judicial construction, it has been recognized that the Florida capital felony sentencing law contemplates that the recommendation of the jury, though advisory only, should be more than a mere formality. In Lamadline v. State, 303 So.2d 17 (Fla. 1974), we remanded for the empaneling of a special jury to make a sentencing recommendation unless knowingly and intelligently waived by the defendant, who had pleaded guilty of first-degree murder. The Court said: In some instances it [the advisory opinion of the sentencing jury] could be a critical factor in determining whether or not the death penalty should be imposed. Id. at 20. In Thompson v. State, 328 So.2d 1 (Fla. 1976), we again ruled on the significance of the jury's recommendation. There the Court said: This Court is well aware that the recommendation of sentence by the jury is only advisory and is not binding on the trial court. However, the advisory opinion of the jury must be given serious consideration, or there would be no reason for the legislature to have placed such a requirement in the statute. It stands to reason that the trial court must express more concise and particular reasons, based on evidence which cannot be reasonably interpreted to favor mitigation, to overrule a jury's advisory opinion of life imprisonment and enter a sentence of death than to overrule an advisory opinion recommending death and enter a sentence of life imprisonment. Id. at 5. We applied the Tedder rule to reverse the death sentences imposed by the trial court in McCaskill v. State, 344 So.2d 1276 (Fla. 1977), saying, Juries are the conscience of our communities. Id. at 1280. On the other hand, in numerous cases we have affirmed death sentences imposed following jury recommendations of life imprisonment. A few examples are Mills v. State, 476 So.2d 172 (Fla. 1985); Stevens v. State, 419 So.2d 1058 (Fla. 1982), cert. denied, 459 U.S. 1228, 103 S.Ct. 1236, 75 L.Ed.2d 469 (1983); White v. State, 403 So.2d 331 (Fla. 1981), cert. denied, 463 U.S. 1229, 103 S.Ct. 3571, 77 L.Ed.2d 1412 (1983); Johnson v. State, 393 So.2d 1069 (Fla. 1980), cert. denied, 454 U.S. 882, 102 S.Ct. 364, 70 L.Ed.2d 191 (1981); Hoy v. State, 353 So.2d 826 (Fla. 1977), cert. denied, 439 U.S. 920, 99 S.Ct. 293, 58 L.Ed.2d 265 (1978); Douglas v. State, 328 So.2d 18 (Fla.), cert. denied, 429 U.S. 871, 97 S.Ct. 185, 50 L.Ed.2d 151 (1976). We have found the Tedder standard was met where [t]he recommendation of life was not based on any valid mitigating factor discernible from the record. Stevens v. State, 419 So.2d at 1065. Appellant argues that the degree of participation of state witness Schmidt in the crimes, and the fact that Schmidt received sentences of life imprisonment as compared with appellant's death sentences, were factors in mitigation probably found by the jury and obligating the court to follow the jury's sentencing recommendation. We find this argument to be without merit. Under Florida law, any person who aids, abets, counsels, hires, or otherwise procures an offense to be committed, and such offense is committed or is attempted to be committed, is a principal in the first degree and may be charged, convicted, and punished as such. § 777.011, Fla. Stat. (1981). Therefore, even though Schmidt did the actual shooting of Eubanks, appellant as an aider and abettor was a principal, guilty of the murder to the same degree as if he had wielded the weapon himself. The fact that Schmidt did the shooting does not in any way detract from the blameworthiness of appellant for this aggravated, premeditated murder. It is correct to say that the degree of participation and relative culpability of an accomplice or joint perpetrator, together with any disparity of the treatment received by such accomplice as compared with that of the capital offender being sentenced, are proper factors to be taken into consideration in the sentencing decision. In Malloy v. State, 382 So.2d 1190 (Fla. 1979), the death-sentenced appellant had been convicted of committing two murders in concert with other defendants. The Court found that the jury could have believed that although guilty of murder with the others, appellant was not the triggerman. The other two participants received prison terms of from five to ten years. The Court found these facts to be a reasonable basis for the jury's recommendation. The Court concluded: Because of the jury's recommendation of a life sentence and the fact that there is a reasonable basis for its recommendation, we must agree that to impose the death sentence on the appellant would not be consistent with other sentences imposed in similar circumstances in accordance with the principles laid down by the United States Supreme Court in Proffitt v. Florida, 428 U.S. 242 [96 S.Ct. 2960, 49 L.Ed.2d 913] ... (1976). Our ruling does not mean that the imposition of the death sentence is always dependent upon the sentences of accomplices. It is a factor, however, that may be considered along with evidence of complicity. Each case will depend on its own facts and circumstances. See Witt v. State, 342 So.2d 497 (Fla. 1977). Id. at 1193 (emphasis in original). Thus the treatment of the accomplice is a factor to be considered, but it is not controlling. As is indicated above, appellant's legal responsibility for the murder of Eubanks was not secondary to but was fully equal to that of Schmidt. In addition, there was evidence to show that appellant was the planner and the instigator of both murders. If Schmidt had been tried for capital felony in the murder of Eubanks, the evidence would have supported a finding in mitigation that he had acted under the domination of appellant. The fact that appellant was the prime mover with regard to the murder of Eubanks distinguishes this case from Malloy. Thus we conclude that the disparate treatment of Schmidt was not a factor that required the court to follow the jury's recommended sentence for the murder of Eubanks. Appellant argues that the trial court should have found various other mitigating circumstances. These arguments are without merit. Appellant contends that the trial court erred in refusing to allow defense counsel to present testimony to the effect that appellant had behaved well during his incarceration from the time of arrest, through the trial, and until the time of sentencing. In Skipper v. South Carolina, 476 U.S. 1, 106 S.Ct. 1669, 90 L.Ed.2d 1 (1986), the Supreme Court reversed a death sentence and remanded for a new sentencing hearing where the state trial court had refused to permit testimony that the defendant had behaved well during the time he spent in jail. The Court found that this exclusion violated the principle, based on Eddings v. Oklahoma, 455 U.S. 104, 102 S.Ct. 869, 71 L.Ed.2d 1 (1982) and Lockett v. Ohio, 438 U.S. 586, 98 S.Ct. 2954, 57 L.Ed.2d 973 (1978), that the defendant must be allowed to present for consideration any relevant mitigating evidence. The Skipper decision requires reconsideration of the sentences of death imposed in this case. Such reconsideration shall be by the trial judge only because appellant did not attempt to introduce the good-behavior evidence before the jury but only sought to present it to the judge before sentencing. We affirm both convictions for first-degree murder. We remand the case for reconsideration of the sentences of death. It is so ordered. McDONALD, C.J., and OVERTON and EHRLICH, JJ., concur. SHAW, J., concurs in result only. ADKINS, J. (Ret.), concurs in the conviction, but dissents from the sentence.