Opinion ID: 1265567
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: jury instruction regarding 1970 murder conviction

Text: Atkins next contends that the trial Court failed to fully instruct the jury on the State's burden of establishing the existence of the statutory aggravating circumstance. We disagree. Although Atkins stipulated to his 1970 murder conviction, he was permitted, without restriction, to offer in mitigation, evidence and details concerning the conviction. Moreover, the trial Judge instructed the jury that, notwithstanding the stipulation, It is for your determination as to whether or not the 1970 murder conviction would be used as an aggravating circumstance in this case, and also charged that it must make a unanimous finding that the State has proven beyond every reasonable doubt that the murder was committed by a person with a prior record of conviction for murder. We hold the charge adequately apprised the jury of both the State's burden to establish the aggravating circumstance and the jury's duty to consider, in mitigation, Atkins' evidence from the 1970 conviction.