Opinion ID: 476834
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Failure of Jury to Find Intent

Text: 58 In Enmund v. Florida, 458 U.S. 782, 102 S.Ct. 3368, 73 L.Ed.2d 1140 (1982), the United States Supreme Court indicated that a finding of intent may be a condition precedent to the imposition of the death penalty. McKenzie argues that the jury failed to make a specific finding that he intended to kill Harding, therefore, the death sentence imposed by the judge cannot be upheld. But, the Court, in Enmund, did not specify at what stage in the proceeding intent must be found. A recent Supreme Court decision, however, examined in whose hands properly lies the determination of whether the defendant possessed the requisite degree of culpability. Cabana v. Bullock, --- U.S. ----, 106 S.Ct. 689, 88 L.Ed.2d 704 (1986). The Court held that a jury finding that the defendant possessed the requisite culpability is not required by the Eighth Amendment. Id. at 695 n. 1, 88 L.Ed.2d at 714 n. 1. A death sentence may stand if the requisite findings are made in an adequate proceeding before some appropriate tribunal, such as a trial judge or an appellate court. Id. at 700, 88 L.Ed.2d at 720. 59 Assuming, without deciding, that McKenzie is correct that the jury made no specific finding on intent, the question then becomes whether the trial judge or the Montana Supreme Court made the requisite finding of intent in this case. McKenzie argues that the trial court's findings were not independent but referred to evidence as found by the jury and that the Montana Supreme Court found intent to kill given mental capacity. Therefore, he argues, the requisite finding of intent was not made. 60 Nowhere in Cabana does the Court require that the trial judge or a state appellate court make a completely independent finding of intent. All that is required is that at some point in the process, the requisite factual finding as to the defendant's culpability has been made. Id. at 697, 88 L.Ed.2d at 717. (footnote omitted). Such a factual finding was made by the trial court judge. Regardless, our review of the trial judge's Findings, Conclusions, Judgment and Sentencing Order clearly indicates that he made an independent finding of McKenzie's intent to kill and simply used the jury's findings to support his opinion: 61 The evidence in the case, and as found by the jury, discloses a brutal, conscienceless, torture, rape and deliberate killing of a human being. 62