Opinion ID: 2558846
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Refusal to Instruct on a Mitigating Circumstance

Text: Appellant argues the trial court erred in refusing to instruct the jury on the mitigating circumstance found in 42 Pa.C.S. § 9711(e)(2)  the defendant was under the influence of extreme mental or emotional disturbance. Appellant claims because the trial court instructed the jury on duress based upon his testimony that he was in fear for his life, it should have also found that there was some evidence indicating he was acting under an extreme emotional disturbance. He notes the jury was concerned about the effect the events had on his behavior, as it requested additional guidance from the court regarding the meaning of duress and the time-frame to consider. A defendant is entitled to an instruction on a mitigating circumstance where the defendant has presented at least some evidence to support it. See id., § 9711(c)(1)(ii). Here, appellant offered no evidence during either the guilt phase or penalty phase to demonstrate he was under the influence of an extreme mental or emotional disturbance. In fact, appellant admitted as much when pressed by the trial court regarding his request for this mitigating circumstance: The Court: So what about the mitigator number one, the defendant was under the influence of extreme mental emotional disturbance? Defense Counsel: I think that both of those are available to the jury based on the testimony that the defendant presented at the penalty phase regarding the circumstances and his mental state at the time of the incident. The Court: I thought he said he was happy? Defense Counsel: No, before this he said. How were you at that time, I was happy. And then did something unusual happen and then he got to the point where he talked about the chaos. The Court: I thought that came under the defendant acted under extreme duress. Defense Counsel: I think you are correct but I would like both. Commonwealth: I don't think there is any evidence to support that one, Judge. The Court: Which one? Commonwealth: The extreme mental or emotional disturbance. The Court: I mean if you or [co-counsel] or [appellant] can articulate how there is anything in this record to demonstrate that you are allowed to have the fact of this mitigator, that the defendant was under the influence, under the influence of extreme mental or emotional disturbance, I will consider it. But right now, I am not seeing that there was anything presented. Defense Counsel: I have nothing to offer at this time in support of that, your Honor. Defense Co-counsel: Nothing, Judge. The Court: [Appellant]?    [Appellant]: Like something was mentally wrong with me? No. N.T. Sentencing, 3/13/06, at 136-38. As there was no evidence related to this mitigating circumstance, the trial court did not abuse its discretion in refusing to instruct the jury on it. Moreover, appellant did not object when the court stated it would not instruct the jury on the extreme mental or emotional disturbance mitigator, nor did he object at the time the instructions were given to the jury. Accordingly, this claim is waived. See Pa.R.Crim.P. 647(B) (No portions of the charge nor omissions from the charge may be assigned as error, unless specific objections are made thereto before the jury retires to deliberate.); Commonwealth v. Laird, 605 Pa. 137, 988 A.2d 618, 646 (2010) (citing Commonwealth v. Pressley, 584 Pa. 624, 887 A.2d 220, 223-224 (2005)). Furthermore, we are not convinced fear is what the Legislature intended when it created the extreme mental or emotional distress mitigator. Indeed, appellant cites no case law supporting this assertion. Our own review of the case law shows this mitigator is generally considered a mental health mitigator and usually bundled with 42 Pa.C.S. § 9711(e)(3) (defendant lacked capacity to appreciate criminality of his conduct). A temporary fear for one's life does not seem to equate with the facts and expert testimony typically associated with the mental health mitigators. See Commonwealth v. Hughes, 581 Pa. 274, 865 A.2d 761, 814-15 (2004) (evidence of chronic schizophrenia and expert testimony confirming existence of brain injury would have been sufficient to implicate mental health mitigators, and remand was necessary for evidentiary hearing assessing reasonableness of counsel's investigation of this mitigating evidence); Commonwealth v. Rice, 568 Pa. 182, 795 A.2d 340, 354-55 (2002) (trial court did not err in refusing to give instruction on mitigating circumstance of extreme mental or emotional disturbance where defense's clinical psychologist stated defendant had no signs of severe mental illness or psychotic disturbance and could not offer opinion on defendant's mental state at time of crime); Commonwealth v. Lester, 554 Pa. 644, 722 A.2d 997, 1006 (1998) (trial court did not err in refusing to give instruction on mitigating circumstance of extreme mental or emotional disturbance where defendant refused to be examined by psychiatrist). By this point in the trial, the jury had rejected appellant's version of the facts he now repeats in support of his theory. Regardless, the court also instructed the jury regarding the catch-all mitigator, 42 Pa.C.S. § 9711(e)(8). The court informed the jury it could consider other evidence of mitigation concerning the character and record of appellant and the circumstances of the offense, which would have included appellant's testimony regarding his fear for his life.