Opinion ID: 867266
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Double Counting of Statutory Aggravators

Text: ¶ 47 Chappell argues his prior conviction and the victim's age were improperly used to establish both the (F)(6) aggravator and the (F)(2) and (F)(9) aggravators, respectively. See A.R.S. § 13-751(F). He contends that the prosecutor's repeated references during the aggravation phase to the prior choking incident and Devon's age, coupled with an inadequate jury instruction during the penalty phase, allowed the jury to double-count these factors. ¶ 48 A prior conviction or other fact, such as the age of the victim, may be used to establish two aggravating factors so long as that fact is not weighed twice in balancing aggravating and mitigating circumstances. Velazquez, 216 Ariz. at 307 ¶ 21, 166 P.3d at 98 (quoting State v. Medina, 193 Ariz. 504, 512 ¶ 25, 975 P.2d 94, 102 (1999)); see also State v. Tittle, 147 Ariz. 339, 345, 710 P.2d 449, 455 (1985). Chappell acknowledges that use of the prior choking incident to prove the (F)(6) aggravator may not have been a problem if the sentencing had been by a judge ... [who is] presumed to know the law, but alleges that the jury was not properly instructed and, therefore, could not have properly weighed the evidence. ¶ 49 We have previously held, however, that juries are capable of considering aggravation and mitigation, even when a fact is used to establish two aggravators. See Velazquez, 216 Ariz. at 307 ¶ 22, 166 P.3d at 98. The prosecutor's comments during the aggravation phase did not improperly encourage jurors to base their (F)(6) finding on the prior choking incident or Devon's age. Therefore, the only question is whether the jury was properly instructed. ¶ 50 During the penalty phase, the trial court instructed the jurors: The State may not rely upon a single fact or aspect of the offense to establish more than one aggravating circumstance. Therefore, if you have found that two or more of the aggravating circumstances were proved beyond a reasonable doubt by a single aspect[ ] of the offense, such as the age of the victim, you are to consider that fact or aspect of the offense only once. In other words, you shall not consider twice any fact or aspect of the offense. The instruction correctly informed jurors how to consider the aggravating factors.