Opinion ID: 1709949
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: History of Drug Abuse

Text: Second, Tanzi asserts that the trial court erred in its evaluation of the proposed mitigating circumstance that Tanzi had a history of substance abuse. After a lengthy discussion of Tanzi's substance abuse at the time of the crime, the trial court's sentencing order stated the following conclusion regarding this mitigating circumstance: The court finds that the Defendant has a history of drug abuse and dependence, but that this problem was in remission at the time. This is borne out by the fact that after he robbed the victim of the $53 that was in her purse, he used the money to purchase a soda and several packs of cigarettes. He did not buy alcohol or attempt to buy drugs in Florida City. As it was in remission, this problem did not contribute to the commission of this capital crime. The trial court's order expressly states that that the proposed mitigating circumstance of a history of substance abuse was established. Although the trial court ideally should have assigned a specific weight to this mitigator, it is clear that the trial court carefully evaluated this mitigating factor. Its findings that Tanzi's problem was in remission at the time of the crime and that Tanzi was not under the influence at the time of the crime indicate that the trial court did not place much weight on this mitigator. Further, its finding that Tanzi's substance dependence was in remission is supported by competent, substantial evidence in the record. Therefore, because the trial court carefully evaluated Tanzi's substance abuse, found that Tanzi had a history of substance abuse, and included detailed findings regarding its significance as a mitigating factor that are supported by competent, substantial evidence, any possible error in the trial court's articulation of this mitigating circumstance was harmless. See Morris v. State, 811 So.2d 661, 667 (Fla.2002) (finding that the trial court found and properly weighed defendant's history of drug abuse as a mitigating circumstance even though the sentencing order's language was confusing); Barwick v. State, 660 So.2d 685, 696 (Fla.1995) (Any error in articulating the particular mitigating circumstance was harmless.), receded from on other grounds by Topps v. State, 865 So.2d 1253 (Fla.2004).