Opinion ID: 1426580
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Trial Judge can Find Prior Convictions to be Serious and Assaultive.

Text: Taylor objected to Instruction Number 6 because it listed Taylor's prior convictions and did not require the jury to find whether Taylor had one or more serious assaultive convictions. [17] The trial court overruled the objection, finding that the submission of individual convictions was consistent with MAI-Cr3d 313.40 and the Notes on Use. [18] MAI-CR3d 313.40 is the penalty phase instruction submitting statutory aggravating circumstances. The trial court found the convictions of second degree murder, attempted robbery in the first degree, and robbery in the first degree to be serious assaultive convictions. The procedure employed here, in conformance with the MAI and accompanying notes, detracts in no way from the function of the trier of fact. The court must determine as a matter of law whether the prior convictions are serious assaultive criminal convictions, and then the jury is allowed to determine as a matter of fact whether defendant indeed had prior convictions of second degree murder, attempted robbery, and robbery. In State v. Parkus, 753 S.W.2d 881 (Mo. banc 1988), the trial judge did not make the findings on the record but there was other evidence presented regarding the conviction. In this case we do not reach the merits of whether other evidence of the convictions is required to comply with the statute because the jury found at least one other aggravating circumstance. See State v. Ramsey, 864 S.W.2d 320 (Mo.1993). The jury found as an aggravating circumstance, in addition to his prior convictions, that Taylor murdered Newton for the purpose of receiving money or any other thing of monetary value from Robert Newton or another. The aggravating circumstances found by the jury were valid, however; even if the first three aggravating circumstances were invalid, the proceedings were not tainted so as to invalidate the other aggravating circumstance found and the death sentence imposed. See State v. Sidebottom, 781 S.W.2d 791, 799 (Mo. banc 1989). A death sentence will be affirmed if even one valid statutory aggravating circumstance is found. State v. Sloan, 756 S.W.2d 503, 509 (Mo. banc 1988). The trial court did not err.