Opinion ID: 1171916
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Effect of injury sustained during the commission of the crimes.

Text: Keith states that the gunshot wound he sustained before he shot Shryock represents a sufficient mitigating circumstance. Keith contends that because of the wound, he was under the influence of extreme mental or emotional disturbance, and that the wound substantially impaired his capacity to appreciate the criminality of his conduct or to conform his conduct to the requirements of the law. See, § 46-18-303(2) and (4), MCA. To hold that the wound sustained by Keith is a sufficient mitigating circumstance would be to ignore the vast majority of his criminal activity. At the time Keith was shot, he had completed every crime for which he plead guilty except deliberate homicide. More importantly, Keith had already set the stage for the deliberate homicide by holding Shryock hostage at gunpoint. Keith cannot now receive leniency in his sentence because he subsequently alleges the homicide would not have occurred if he had not been shot. Keith was responsible for creating the circumstances generating his injury and we will not find that the bullet wound is a mitigating circumstance sufficiently substantial to call for leniency. Additionally, there is reason to seriously doubt Keith's contention altogether. In the updated presentence investigation report filed April 4, 1985, Keith is reported to have made a statement which stated, in part, immediately after [being shot] I came to the conclusion that I was going to die, I didn't want to go alone so I fired by pistol into the back of the head of Mr. Harry Shryock. Despite a liberal opportunity to do so, Keith did not object to this portion of the report, and the District Court made the report part of the record at the sentencing hearing on April 10, 1985. At the sentencing hearing, the District Court is allowed to hear any evidence that it considers to have probative force. Section 46-18-302, MCA. Keith's statement appears to demonstrate that he consciously contemplated his actions. Since Keith had the opportunity to rationalize and contemplate his actions, we hold that the bullet wound does not constitute a mitigating circumstance sufficiently substantial to call for leniency.