Opinion ID: 2631807
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Kazumi's own injuries

Text: Defendant argues that evidence regarding Kazumi's injuries, including his paralysis, pain, and inability to care for himself, was not true victim impact evidence, as it failed to show the impact of Ryoko's death on Kazumi. This evidence did show, however, that because he suffered severe injuries at defendant's hand, Kazumi will require extensive care that Ryoko might have provided but for her murder, an aggravating circumstance of which the jury was entitled to learn. Moreover, evidence of Kazumi's injuries was relevant at the penalty phase to show the circumstances of defendant's crimes and the nature and extent of his violent acts other than Ryoko's murder (see § 190.3, factors (a), (b)). As we have stated, Evidence of the impact of the defendant's conduct on victims other than the murder victim is relevant if related directly to the circumstances of the capital offense. [Citations.] ( People v. Mitcham (1992) 1 Cal.4th 1027, 1063, 5 Cal.Rptr.2d 230, 824 P.2d 1277.) Obviously, Kazumi's injuries fall squarely within that category. Contrary to defendant, we find nothing in Payne v. Tennessee, supra, 501 U.S. 808, 111 S.Ct. 2597, 115 L.Ed.2d 720, or other high court decisions, that is contrary to this analysis.