Opinion ID: 2098544
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Social History

Text: Defendant contends that his trial counsel should have investigated and introduced evidence also relating to defendant's social history. Defendant's post-conviction petition includes affidavits from members of defendant's family, a friend of defendant, and mitigation specialists Dr. Randall and Eno. The testimony reflected in these affidavits would have included information on, inter alia, defendant's disadvantaged and troubled childhood, history of substance abuse, strong family ties, and good character. However, such testimony from these additional witnesses, or additional testimony from the witnesses who did testify, would have been merely cumulative of information already before the trial judge. See Sanchez, 169 Ill.2d at 490-91, 215 Ill.Dec. 59, 662 N.E.2d 1199. Further, such evidence is not inherently mitigating. Stewart v. Gramley, 74 F.3d 132, 136 (7th Cir.1996). The trial judge might have considered such evidence to be an aggravating factor. The judge could have regarded defendant's troubled life, with his criminal record, as an indicator of future dangerousness. See Evans, 186 Ill.2d at 101, 237 Ill.Dec. 118, 708 N.E.2d 1158. Specifically, the trial judge could have considered a history of substance abuse as an aggravating circumstance rather than a mitigating circumstance. See Coleman, 183 Ill.2d at 404, 233 Ill.Dec. 789, 701 N.E.2d 1063; Madej, 177 Ill.2d at 138, 226 Ill.Dec. 453, 685 N.E.2d 908. We conclude that the introduction of the evidence now proffered by defendant regarding his psychological impairments and social history would not have created a reasonable probability of a different sentence. See Sanchez, 169 Ill.2d at 491-92, 215 Ill.Dec. 59, 662 N.E.2d 1199. We cannot say that the death sentence imposed on defendant was unreasonable or unfair.