Opinion ID: 2534150
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Unanimous Jury Finding of Sufficient Aggravating Circumstances and Insufficient Mitigating Circumstances

Text: Next, Miller contends that Apprendi requires that a unanimous twelve-person jury make the findings of fact necessary to determine eligibility for the death penalty. In his view, these findings are specified in section 921.141(3); therefore, a constitutional interpretation of Florida's capital sentencing scheme requires the jury to unanimously determine that sufficient aggravating circumstances exist and that insufficient mitigating circumstances exist to outweigh the aggravating circumstances. Miller's argument cannot prevail under the factual circumstances of this case. Even if this Court were to determine that the statute requires a unanimous jury to conduct the findings of fact articulated in section 921.141(3), the death sentence in this case satisfies Miller's interpretation of the application of Apprendi in Florida. The twelve-person, guilt-phase jury unanimously found that Miller had committed the violent felonies of attempted first-degree murder of Larry Haydon, burglary of a dwelling with a deadly weapon, and attempted robbery with a deadly weapon. These violent felonies established a unanimous jury finding of two aggravating circumstances(1) the defendant was previously convicted of a felony involving the use or threat of violence to a person, and (2) the capital felony was committed while the defendant was engaged in the commission of, attempt to commit, or flight after committing the crime of robbery or burglary. In addition, this Court has repeatedly held that where a death sentence is supported by the prior violent felony aggravating circumstance, Florida's capital sentencing scheme does not violate Ring or Apprendi. See, e.g., Frances v. State, 970 So.2d 806, 822 (Fla.2007) (citing Apprendi, 530 U.S. at 490, 120 S.Ct. 2348); Jones v. State, 855 So.2d 611, 619 (Fla.2003). The State introduced Miller's prior convictions from Oregon for first-degree manslaughter and robbery in the first degree, with corresponding evidence that established the violent nature of these felonies. Furthermore, Miller was also on parole for the first-degree robbery, which supported the aggravating circumstance that the capital felony was committed by a person previously convicted of a felony and under a sentence of imprisonment. Also, as discussed above, a Florida jury unanimously found Miller guilty of three violent felonies. Therefore, the trial court found that the death sentence was supported by the prior violent felony aggravating circumstance, which satisfies express exemptions to Apprendi that were unaltered by Ring. In sum, Miller's prior and contemporaneous violent felonies established three aggravating circumstances(1) the capital felony was committed by a person previously convicted of a felony and under a sentence of imprisonment (parole); (2) the defendant was previously convicted of a felony involving the use or threat of violence to the person; (3) the capital felony was committed while the defendant was engaged in the commission of, or an attempt to commit, or flight after committing or attempting to commit the crime of robbery or burglary. Therefore, Miller's contention that a unanimous jury did not find sufficient aggravating circumstances is unavailing because several aggravating circumstances stemmed from his prior and contemporaneous violent felonies. Lastly, this Court has repeatedly rejected the assertion that Apprendi and Ring require that aggravating and mitigating circumstances be found individually by an unanimous jury. See, e.g., Frances, 970 So.2d at 822; Rodgers v. State, 948 So.2d 655, 673 (Fla.2006); Hernandez-Alberto v. State, 889 So.2d 721, 733 (Fla.2004). Miller's attempt to distinguish his argument from those previously rejected by this Court is attenuated and unpersuasive. Under Florida's bifurcated capital proceeding, the jury considers the sufficiency of the aggravators and the insufficiency of the mitigating circumstances when issuing an advisory sentence under section 921.141(2). The plain language of section 921.141(3) refers to the duty of the trial court with regard to the required written findings for imposing a death sentence. Miller has failed to provide a persuasive argument in support of the penalty phase jury making findings with regard to the trial court's weighing process specified in section 921.141(3). Accordingly, we deny relief on this issue.