Opinion ID: 1442039
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 23

Heading: Definition of Factor in Mitigation

Text: (17) The court gave an instruction that defined factor in mitigation as follows: A factor in mitigation is an act, circumstance or condition which involves an abatement or decreasing in seriousness or severity, one that reduces or makes lesser just [ sic ] a person's degree of culpability. [10] Defendant contends that this definition is incorrect and too narrow. Defendant asserts that it refers only to the offense and does not relate to the defendant's background or character. If this had been the only instruction on the subject, defendant's point might have merit. Immediately before this instruction, however, the court instructed the jury it could consider any sympathetic or other aspect of the defendant's character or record that the defendant offers as a basis for a sentence less than death, whether or not related to the offense for which he is on trial. The court further instructed the jury: If the mitigating evidence gives rise to compassion or sympathy for the defendant, the jury may, based upon such sympathy or compassion alone, reject death as a penalty. In view of the other instructions given, we do not think that there is a reasonable likelihood that the jurors interpreted the court's definition of factor in mitigation to prevent consideration of defendant's background and character. (See Boyde v. California, supra, 494 U.S. at p. ___ [108 L.Ed.2d at p. 329].)