Opinion ID: 2276759
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 28

Heading: Proportionality Review: Section 565.035.3 (Strong's point 11)

Text: Strong included in his brief a point relied on that claims his death penalty was imposed under the influence of passion and the evidence does not support the existence of one statutory aggravator. This claim must be addressed as part of this Court's independent proportionality review pursuant to section 565.035.3, which requires the Court to determine: (1) Whether the sentence of death was imposed under the influence of passion, prejudice, or any other arbitrary factor; and (2) Whether the evidence supports the jury's or judge's finding of a statutory aggravating circumstance as enumerated in subsection 2 of section 565.032 and any other circumstance found; (3) Whether the sentence of death is excessive or disproportionate to the penalty imposed in similar cases, considering both the crime, the strength of the evidence, and the defendant. Having thoroughly reviewed the record, this Court concludes that there is no evidence to suggest that the punishment imposed was a product of passion, prejudice, or any other arbitrary factor. The trial court's findings are next reviewed to determine if the evidence supports, beyond a reasonable doubt, the existence of an aggravating circumstance and any other circumstance found. In this case, the jury unanimously found two statutory aggravating circumstances as grounds for considering the death sentence. See sec. 565.032.2(2), (7). The evidence supports, beyond a reasonable doubt, a finding that Strong committed the murders of Eva and Zandrea while he was engaged in the commission of another unlawful homicide and that both murders were outrageously or wantonly vile, horrible or inhuman in that they involved depravity of mind. This Court has upheld sentences of death in similar cases where the defendant murdered more than one person. State v. Tisius, 92 S.W.3d 751 (Mo. banc 2002); State v. Wolfe, 13 S.W.3d 248 (Mo. banc 2000); State v. Middleton, 998 S.W.2d 520 (Mo. banc 1999); State v. Johnson, 968 S.W.2d 123 (Mo. banc 1998); State v. Hutchison, 957 S.W.2d 757 (Mo. banc 1997). This Court has also upheld death sentences in cases where the murder involved acts of brutality and abuse that showed depravity of mind. State v. Williams, 97 S.W.3d 462 (Mo. banc 2003); State v. Cole, 71 S.W.3d 163 (Mo. banc 2002); State v. Christeson, 50 S.W.3d 251 (Mo. banc 2001); State v. Storey, 40 S.W.3d 898 (Mo. banc 2001); State v. Smith, 32 S.W.3d 532 (Mo. banc 2000). The penalty in this case is neither excessive nor disproportionate in light of the crimes and the strength of the evidence. Strong's point is denied.