Opinion ID: 515812
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 16

Heading: due process at sentencing phase

Text: 241 Petitioner argues that he was denied due process at the sentencing phase of his trial. Because of the asserted due process deprivation at sentencing, Petitioner claims that the death sentence recommended by the jury and imposed by the judge was improper. Petitioner alleges that specific violations occurred at his sentencing through inadequate jury instructions, improper prosecutorial argument, a non-unanimous jury recommendation, defense counsel's ineffective assistance at the sentencing phase, and the excessive and disproportionate sentences imposed. 242 Petitioner's claim of ineffective assistance at sentencing will be addressed separately. 243 Petitioner maintains that the trial court failed to specify which felonies were being referred to when the jury was instructed that one of the statutory aggravating circumstances was that the capital felonies were committed while the defendant was engaged in the commission of any robbery, rape, arson, burglary, kidnapping, or aircraft piracy or the unlawful throwing, placing or discharging of a destructive device or bomb. The Magistrate's Report states that [t]he jury had sat through ... [the] trial and knew full well that Sydney and Lillian Gans were murdered during the course of a robbery and kidnapping. 244 This Court finds that there was no way the jury could not have known which of the enumerated felonies were applicable in the case after having heard the cumulative testimony and arguments presented. Further, the prosecution repeatedly told the jury that the underlying felonies involved were robbery and kidnapping. See R. at 3467, 3567, 3624-25. 245 As a second ground for finding taint in the sentencing procedure, Petitioner claims that the trial court failed to instruct the jury that the standard for a finding of mental disturbance was less stringent at the sentencing phase than at the guilt-innocence phase of the trial. The jury in this cause was not without the benefit of a specific and careful explanation, delivered by defense attorney Meadows, that the showing of mental disturbance for the mitigating circumstance of mental disturbance could be made under a less stringent standard than that required for a finding of incompetency to stand trial. R. at 3535-38. There was no objection raised by the prosecution to this explanation, which also mentioned that the lesser standard was provided for by statute. Given the specific and detailed explanation which was not disputed or questioned at all by the prosecution, this Court cannot find any error of constitutional magnitude stemming from the fact that the jury heard the explanation from defense attorney Meadows rather than from the court. The important thing is that the jury was informed that the standard for mental disturbance for the purpose of finding the presence of a statutory mitigating circumstance was a lesser standard than that for competency to stand trial. 246 Petitioner claims that the trial court's instructions restricted the jury's consideration of mitigating circumstances only to those listed in the statute. The state court rejected this claim on the ground that it presupposed that counsel was expected to anticipate the decision in Lockett v. Ohio, 438 U.S. 586 [57 L.Ed.2d 973] 98 S.Ct. 2954 (1978). Muhammad v. State, 426 So.2d at 538. Petitioner's claim cannot be rejected out of hand solely upon the above-stated basis. A court should consider the status of Florida's law on the date of sentencing, the trial record, and proffers of nonstatutory mitigating evidence claimed to be available. Hitchcock v. Wainwright, 770 F.2d 1514 (11th Cir.1985) (en banc) at 1517. 247 At the time of Knight's sentencing, the confusion in Florida law had not yet been, at least, partially alleviated by Lockett and obviously had not been clarified by the later decision in Songer v. State, 365 So.2d 696, 699 (Fla.1978). Because these decisions had not yet been issued, it is important to examine the record at sentencing to evaluate the claim of petitioner. 248 The Court concludes that this claim is without merit in light of the fact that the defense discussed non-statutory mitigating circumstances without limitation by the trial judge. Further, although the trial judge did not find that there were any mitigating circumstances present, statutory or otherwise, there was no indication that the judge did not consider everything presented. See Palmes v. Wainwright, 725 F.2d 1511 (11th Cir.), cert. denied, [469 U.S. 873, 83 L.Ed.2d 156] 105 S.Ct. 227 (1984). 249 The instructions given to the jury do not appear to have been restrictive. Defense counsel, in fact, argued the existence of nonstatutory mitigating circumstances to the jury seemingly without limitation (although arguably some of the nonstatutory mitigating factors were discussed in conjunction with defense counsel's presentation on mental disturbance as a mitigating circumstance). Moreover, Attorney Matthews testified at this Court's evidentiary hearing that he knew the judge was not restricting the defense to statutory mitigating circumstances. 250 Defense counsel argued that the death penalty should not be recommended because there was no proof that it was a deterrent to future crimes. R. 3633. Defense counsel also discussed the failure of society to deal with the underlying causes of crime. 251 And I want to suggest to you, as you consider the verdict in this case, that there is a very important factor involved here as far as society is concerned and as far as I get into the discussion now of the mitigating factors which I believe are appropriate. 252 I want to discuss to you that all of society's efforts have been fruitless and have really not done much to prevent crime because we have not dealt with the real basic problem, and that's the roots, the causes, the basic underlying causes of crime. 253 And I believe that relates to Thomas Knight, and its appropriate for you to consider that in your deliberations as to the punishment for him. 254 R. at 3634-35. 255 The failure of society to deal with the roots and causes of crime is not a statutorily listed mitigating circumstance, yet it was presented to the jury. 256 Petitioner Knight's family background was referred to by defense counsel at the sentencing phase. 257 There's other testimony that has been put in evidence today, you know, about his family background, the circumstances under which he grew up. 258 R. 3639. 259 While Petitioner's family background and tragic circumstances were not extensively discussed, because defense counsel instead emphasized other points relating to Petitioner's mental state, it cannot be said that the defense or the jury was precluded from giving weight to Knight's background or other circumstances presented in the mitigation argument. 260 Defense counsel again mentioned the lack of guidance the defendant had received when he was a youth. 261 I want to suggest to you, though, that it's appropriate for you to consider this. Is he to be blamed a hundred percent for what happened to him for what he did and for what has happened to him or does society have some responsibility in this matter? Where along the line as this young man was growing up was there a person who either had, either took time or had time to really give him some assistance as he was developing his mind? 262 R. 3641. 263 In this cause, the defense counsel were not restricted in any way from presenting any mitigating circumstances that they desired to put before the jury and the judge. The Florida Supreme Court found that the trial court considered all of the relevant aggravating and mitigating circumstances, 394 So.2d at 1003, and this Court agrees and finds that because nonstatutory mitigating factors were discussed by defense without objection or limitation by the court, the trial court's instructions on this point were not unconstitutionally restrictive. 264 The record shows that the trial court advised the jury that if mitigating circumstances outweighed the aggravating circumstances, the defendant should not be recommended for the death penalty. R. 3615-16. The trial judge further instructed the jury that aggravating circumstances must be established beyond a reasonable doubt, and that evidence on an aggravating circumstance which failed to meet that burden should be disregarded. R. 3618-19. Accordingly, the Court finds that the trial court did not impermissibly shift the burden of proof onto defendant. 265 If one or more aggravating circumstances are established, you should consider all the evidence tending to establish one or more mitigating circumstances and give that evidence such weight as you feel it should receive in reaching your conclusion as to the sentence which should be imposed. 266 R. at 3619 (emphasis added). 267 With the above statement, the trial court made it clear that the balancing of the aggravating and mitigating circumstances was not simply a mere counting process. See State v. Dixon, 283 So.2d 1 (Fla.1973) at 9-10. PROSECUTORIAL ARGUMENT 268 Petitioner argues that the prosecutor made remarks during closing argument that were improper, inaccurate, misleading, inflammatory and designed to divert the jury from its proper function in recommending a penalty. The prosecutor's closing argument, Petitioner asserts, violated his Eighth Amendment right to be free from the improper imposition of the death penalty. 269 The allegedly improper remarks complained of are summarized as follows:You having heard the facts, being best acquainted with the kind of trauma that is inflicted upon people who are the victims of kidnapping, the kind of pain that is inflicted upon a man who knows his wife is being held hostage, the kind of pain that is inflicted upon a woman who is being forced at gun point to drive around while her husband gets together fifty thousand dollars ransom for her. You are in the best position to determine whether the kind of cruelty that the law talks about is involved in this case. 270 There is nothing that was said by the defendant during his interviews with the various doctors who interviewed him that to me indicated any reflection or remorse or sorrow for anything that had happened in this situation. 271