Opinion ID: 1756872
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Aggravating Circumstances Jury Instructions

Text: Appellant argues the trial court erred in submitting the aggravating circumstances jury instruction, MAI-CR3d 314.40, and refusing to submit Appellant's modified aggravating circumstances instruction, because the jury was not instructed how to consider the non-statutory aggravating factors. The State submitted the MAI jury instruction for aggravating circumstances, [15] which the trial court accepted. Appellant submitted a modified aggravating circumstances instruction, [16] which instructed the jury to consider the non-statutory aggravating circumstances only if they are found beyond a reasonable doubt. During the instruction conference, Appellant objected to the State's proposed instruction because it does not address the burden of proof for non-statutory circumstances. The trial court refused to submit the modified instruction. Appellant relies on Ring v. Arizona, 536 U.S. 584, 122 S.Ct. 2428, 153 L.Ed.2d 556 (2002); Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 120 S.Ct. 2348, 147 L.Ed.2d 435 (2000); State v. Whitfield, 107 S.W.3d 253 (Mo. banc 2003); and State v. Whitfield, 837 S.W.2d 503 (Mo. banc 1992). Under section 565.030.4, the jury is required to find a statutory aggravating circumstance beyond a reasonable doubt. State v. Gill, 167 S.W.3d 184, 193 (Mo. banc 2005); section 565.030.4(2). The reasonable doubt standard does not apply to mitigating evidence, Gill, 167 S.W.3d at 193, or non-statutory aggravating factors, including victim impact statements, see Forrest, 183 S.W.3d at 226. Appellant's reliance on Ring , Apprendi , and Whitfield is misplaced. This Court has stated that under Ring and Apprendi only evidence functionally equivalent to an element, including statutory aggravating circumstances, must be found beyond a reasonable doubt. Clark, 197 S.W.3d at 601. The trial court was not obligated to instruct the jury to find non-statutory aggravators, including a victim impact statement, beyond a reasonable doubt.