Opinion ID: 1388611
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 24

Heading: Remorselessness as aggravating factor.

Text: (30) Defendant also claims that by stressing defendant's mercilessness toward the murder and robbery victims, the prosecutor improperly urged absence of remorse as a nonstatutory aggravating factor. However, the prosecutor never stated that absence of remorse was aggravating. Moreover, evidence that the murder of Burke and the robbery of Yitshaky were particularly remorseless could be considered in aggravation. Section 190.3, factor (a), allows the sentencer to evaluate all aggravating and mitigating aspects of the capital crime itself. Moreover, there is nothing inherent in the issue of remorse which makes it mitigating only. The defendant's overt indifference or callousness toward his misdeed bears significantly on the moral decision whether a greater punishment, rather than a lesser, should be imposed. [Citation omitted.] ( People v. Gonzalez, supra, 51 Cal.3d 1179, 1232, italics in original, some italics omitted.) By similar reasoning, the prosecution may also show and argue in aggravation that other violent criminal activity by the defendant (§ 190.3, factor (b)) was particularly brutal, callous, and remorseless. (See People v. Melton, supra, 44 Cal.3d 713, 757.) No improper argument occurred.