Opinion ID: 2003518
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Reliability of the Sentencing Phase Verdict

Text: Defendant claims that the trial judge erred in allowing the jury to deliberate on whether the death penalty should be imposed without first hearing mitigating evidence of his background and mental or emotional condition. According to defendant the absence of such evidence undermined the reliability of his sentence in contravention of the guarantees of the eighth amendment. Courts in other jurisdictions have considered and rejected the argument that the eighth amendment requires that mitigating evidence must somehow be presented on a defendant's behalf notwithstanding the defendant's choice to refrain from introducing it. In Wallace v. State (Okla.Crim.App. 1995), 893 P.2d 504, the defendant argued that the eighth amendment requires the sentencer to consider mitigating evidence to reach a rational and individualized determination of the appropriate sentence and when the defendant refused to present such evidence the death sentence was imposed in an arbitrary and unreliable manner. Quoting from the decision of the Supreme Court of California in People v. Bloom (1989), 48 Cal.3d 1194, 259 Cal.Rptr. 669, 774 P.2d 698, the Wallace court responded: `[T]he required reliability is attained when the prosecution has discharged its burden of proof at the guilt and penalty phases pursuant to the rules of evidence and within the guidelines of a constitutional death penalty statute, the death verdict has been returned under proper instructions and procedures, and the trier of penalty has duly considered the relevant mitigating evidence, if any, which the defendant has chosen to present. A judgment of death entered in conformity with these rigorous standards does not violate the Eighth Amendment reliability requirements.' (Emphasis added.) ( Wallace, 893 P.2d at 511, quoting Bloom, 48 Cal.3d at 1228, 259 Cal.Rptr. at 690, 774 P.2d at 719.) (Accord Silagy v. Peters (7th Cir.1991), 905 F.2d 986, 1008.) We agree and find this reasoning consistent with language in decisions of this court and the United States Supreme Court indicating that the eighth amendment is complied with where the defendant has the opportunity to present mitigating evidence. (See People v. Silagy (1984), 101 Ill.2d 147, 181, 77 Ill.Dec. 792, 461 N.E.2d 415 (Society's interest in the proper administration of justice is preserved by giving a defendant the right freely to present evidence in mitigation); Wallace, 893 P.2d at 510 n. 4 (and cases cited).) In the case at bar, defendant did in fact present some mitigating evidence relating to his desire to find peace with God. Defendant now claims that other mitigating evidence should have been introduced, but because he was afforded a complete opportunity to present mitigating evidence as he saw fit, and because rigorous procedural standards were adhered to in connection with sentencing, defendant's sentence is not constitutionally unreliable.