Opinion ID: 1057701
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 50

Heading: The Relative Weight of the Aggravating and Mitigating Circumstances

Text: In carrying out our obligation under Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-13-206(c)(1)(C), we must determine whether a reasonable juror could find beyond a reasonable doubt that the aggravating circumstances established by the State outweigh the mitigating circumstances presented by the defendant. State v. Rimmer, 250 S.W.3d at 34; State v. Stephenson, 195 S.W.3d 574, 593-94 (Tenn.2006). Following a detailed review of this record, we find that a reasonable jury could find, based on the evidence in this case, that the aggravating circumstances outweigh the mitigating circumstances. Mr. Banks presented and established numerous mitigating circumstances that were intended to present him in a sympathetic light. The eleven witnesses testifying on his behalf pointed out (1) that Mr. Banks was only nineteen years old when he killed Mr. Al-Maily, (2) that Mr. Banks developed HIV when he was sixteen years old, (3) that Mr. Banks had remained employed, (4) that Mr. Banks frequently transferred from one school to another during his childhood, (5) that Mr. Banks's mother was often absent during his childhood because she was either in prison or in a halfway house, (6) that Mr. Banks's parents did not provide him adequate support, (7) that Mr. Banks had nine siblings and that he was the youngest of seven brothers, (8) that Mr. Banks was picked on by his older siblings when he was a child, (9) that Mr. Banks was an active member of the Leewood Baptist Church, (10) that Mr. Banks's artistic and culinary skills included drawing pictures and cooking, (11) that Mr. Banks had been a model prisoner, (12) that while incarcerated, Mr. Banks had participated in and completed numerous rehabilitation certificate programs, (13) that members of Mr. Banks's church and family wished to remain in contact with him, (14) that two of Mr. Banks's sisters were raped, (15) that Mr. Banks loved animals, particularly dogs, and (16) that Mr. Banks was a positive member of his church and a gentle person. The State presented evidence that undermined Mr. Banks's mitigation evidence. This evidence showed that, despite the confinement of Mr. Banks's mother, Mr. Banks and his mother had a close relationship. It also showed that Mr. Banks had a loving and supportive relationship with his grandmother before her death and that he was also cared for by his older siblings and members of the Leewood Baptist Church. In other words, Mr. Banks actually had a great deal of support during his childhood from his extended family and his church community. The mitigation evidence regarding his kind, gentle nature was also undermined by evidence of his criminal history which included assault, battery, and domestic violence. In contrast to the testimony regarding Mr. Banks's gentle nature, his former girlfriend described how Mr. Banks could be extremely cruel and violent. She recounted numerous incidents of domestic violence, including one incident in which Mr. Banks pulled a gun and pointed it at her stomach when she was eight months pregnant. Based on this evidence, a rational juror could easily have concluded that the aggravating circumstanceskilling a witness to avoid arrest and prosecution and killing in the perpetration of a robberyoutweighed the various mitigating circumstances presented by Mr. Banks, particularly his youth, his health, his difficult family circumstances, his active involvement in his church community, and his active involvement in rehabilitation certificate programs in prison. D.