Opinion ID: 2621193
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Constitutionality of the California death penalty statute, and other related contentions

Text: Defendant contends the California death penalty statute is constitutionally deficient in various respects. His claims of violations of the federal Constitution have been rejected in prior decisions, and no basis for reconsideration appears. The trial court need not instruct the jury as to which factors under section 190.3 are aggravating and which are mitigating. ( People v. Bradford, supra, 15 Cal.4th at p. 1383, 65 Cal.Rptr.2d 145, 939 P.2d 259.) The jury is not required to make written findings. ( People v. Riel, supra, 22 Cal.4th at p. 1225, 96 Cal. Rptr.2d 1, 998 P.2d 969.) The jury need not find beyond a reasonable doubt that aggravating factors exist [except for other-crimes evidence], that they outweigh mitigating factors, or that death is the appropriate penalty. ( Ibid. ) Intercase proportionality review is not required ( People v. Carpenter, supra, 15 Cal.4th at p. 420, 63 Cal.Rptr.2d 1, 935 P.2d 708), and to the extent that defendant claims in this connection that the death penalty is disproportionate to his own culpability, the claim is rejected. `To determine whether a sentence is cruel or unusual as applied to a particular defendant, a reviewing court must examine the circumstances of the offense, including its motive, the extent of the defendant's involvement in the crime, the manner in which the crime was committed, and the consequences of the defendant's acts. The court must also consider the personal characteristics of the defendant, including age, prior criminality, and mental capabilities. [Citation.] If the court concludes that the penalty imposed is grossly disproportionate to the defendant's individual culpability [citation] or, stated another way, that the punishment `shocks the conscience and offends fundamental notions of human dignity' [citation] the court must invalidate the sentence as unconstitutional.' ( People v. Riel, supra, 22 Cal.4th at pp. 1223-1224, 96 Cal.Rptr.2d 1, 998 P.2d 969.) In light of the circumstances of the present crimes, for which this mature defendant was solely responsible, defendant's repeated offenses over a period of time, and the dire consequences of his acts, we do not believe that the punishment imposed is grossly disproportionate, even taking into account the mitigating evidence regarding his character, past acts of kindness, and successful adjustment in prison. Defendant's vagueness challenge to section 190.3 has been rejected. ( People v. Jenkins, supra, 22 Cal.4th at pp. 1050-1053, 95 Cal.Rptr.2d 377, 997 P.2d 1044; People v. Arias (1996) 13 Cal.4th 92, 187-188, 51 Cal.Rptr.2d 770, 913 P.2d 980; People v. Sanchez, supra, 12 Cal.4th at p. 81, 47 Cal.Rptr.2d 843, 906 P.2d 1129; see also People v. Lucero, supra, 23 Cal.4th at p. 737, 97 Cal.Rptr.2d 871, 3 P.3d 248.) The claim that the jury was instructed in vague terms that erroneously would permit it to consider the murder of Joyce and the murder of Glenna as circumstances in aggravation is rejected; such consideration was appropriate. (See § 190.3, factors (a), (b).) Defendant's claim that the trial court's original belief that the murder of Joyce could be punished by a separate death sentencea belief expressed outside the presence of the jurymight have affected the jury's consideration of factor (a) is rejected as based only upon speculation. Defendant's contention that this state's death penalty statute fails adequately to narrow the class of persons subject to the death penalty already has been rejected above. (See also People v. Jenkins, supra, 22 Cal.4th at p. 1050, 95 Cal.Rptr.2d 377, 997 P.2d 1044.) We also have rejected his claim that the death penalty law violates the Eighth Amendment by vesting unlimited discretion in prosecutors to determine whether to seek the death penalty. ( People v. Kraft, supra, 23 Cal.4th at p. 1078, 99 Cal.Rptr.2d 1, 5 P.3d 68; People v. Arias, supra, 13 Cal.4th at p. 189, 51 Cal. Rptr.2d 770, 913 P.2d 980.) We reject as unsupported by relevant authority defendant's claim that, because this is a capital case, any failure of defense counsel to object to asserted errors at trial cannot be deemed a waiver or forfeiture of such claims.