Opinion ID: 1060912
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Instructions Concerning Mitigating Evidence

Text: The appellant claims that the use of extreme and substantial as modifiers in describing the mitigating circumstances set forth in Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 39-13-204(j)(2), (8) (1991) created a reasonable likelihood that the jury understood them to prohibit consideration of the appellant's mental disturbance unless it exceeded some undefined threshold. Accordingly, the appellant asserts, the jury was prevented from considering as mitigation any aspect of [the appellant's] character or record. Lockett v. Ohio, 438 U.S. 586, 604, 98 S.Ct. 2954, 2964-65, 57 L.Ed.2d 973 (1978). Our supreme court has repeatedly rejected this argument. See Smith, 893 S.W.2d at 920; Cazes, 875 S.W.2d at 268; State v. Smith, 857 S.W.2d 1, 16-17 (Tenn.), cert. denied, 510 U.S. 996, 114 S.Ct. 561, 126 L.Ed.2d 461 (1993), and cert. denied, 510 U.S. 1040, 114 S.Ct. 682, 126 L.Ed.2d 650 (1994). Therefore, this issue is without merit.