Opinion ID: 2119366
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Appellate Review of Death Penalty Appropriateness

Text: Having found the trial court did not improperly reach its judgment imposing the death penalty, it is now the duty of this Court under the Constitution and statutes of Indiana, Ind. Const. Art. VII, § 4; Ind. Code § 35-50-2-9(h), to determine whether in our judgment such penalty is appropriate for this defendant under the circumstances of this case. Notwithstanding the evidence of the defendant's past mental problems and emotional difficulties, the circumstances of the defendant's behavior in the brutal commission of the murder and in the associated offenses compels us to conclude, as did the trial court, that the aggravating circumstance outweighs any mitigating circumstances. We find the sentence of death here to be appropriate. We affirm the conviction of murder and the imposition of the sentence of death. SHEPARD, C.J., and GIVAN and PIVARNIK, JJ., concur. DeBRULER, J., concurs and dissents with opinion.