Opinion ID: 2546826
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: Limitation of Mitigation Evidence

Text: Decay also asserts that the circuit court violated his right to present mitigating testimony when it denied his family the right to express its apologies or sympathies to the victims' families. The State argues that the testimony excluded was not evidence of a mitigating circumstance, and we agree. During the testimony of both Darren Decay, Decay's brother, and Jada Decay, Decay's sister, the State objected to testimony expressing their apologies to the families of the victims. The circuit court sustained the objections. However, Darren Decay did in fact state during his testimony, [w]e're sorry and [w]e're going through pain and grief just like you are. Decay argues that by limiting that testimony, the circuit court violated his right to present evidence of his remorse as a mitigating circumstance. While Decay's remorse was a proposed mitigating factor, the feelings of his family did not constitute evidence of his personal remorse. Therefore, the circuit court's decision to limit that testimony did not violate Decay's right to present evidence of a mitigating circumstance.