Opinion ID: 2625366
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Miscellaneous Instructional Omissions

Text: Defendant asserts the court erred, and violated his state and federal constitutional rights, in failing to instruct the jurors they must find, beyond a reasonable doubt, that (1) the aggravating circumstances were true, (2) they were so substantial as to outweigh the mitigating circumstances and justify a death verdict, and (3) death was the appropriate penalty. Defendant also complains of the court's failure to require jury unanimity regarding the applicable aggravating circumstances. We have recently and repeatedly rejected all these contentions. (See, e.g., People v. Hughes (2002) 27 Cal.4th 287, 404-06, 116 Cal. Rptr.2d 401, 39 P.3d 432; People v. Weaver (2001) 26 Cal.4th 876, 991-993, 111 Cal. Rptr.2d 2, 29 P.3d 103; People v. Carpenter, supra, 15 Cal.4th at pp. 417-421, 63 Cal.Rptr.2d 1, 935 P.2d 708; People v. Bradford (1997) 14 Cal.4th 1005, 1057-1059, 60 Cal.Rptr.2d 225, 929 P.2d 544.) We see no good reason to reexamine those cases. Defendant cites Apprendi v. New Jersey (2000) 530 U.S. 466, 120 S.Ct. 2348, 147 L.Ed.2d 435, and Ring v. Arizona (2002) 536 U.S. 584, 122 S.Ct. 2428, 153 L.Ed.2d 556, as justifying reconsideration of the foregoing decisions. These cases, however, have no application to the penalty phase procedures of this state. ( People v. Prieto, supra, 30 Cal.4th at pp. 262-264, 133 Cal.Rptr.2d 18, 66 P.3d 1123; see People v. Smith, supra, 30 Cal.4th at p. 642, 134 Cal.Rptr.2d 1, 68 P.3d 302; People v. Snow, supra, 30 Cal.4th at p. 126, fn. 32, 132 Cal.Rptr.2d 271, 65 P.3d 749].) In Apprendi the United States Supreme Court found a constitutional requirement that any fact, other than a prior conviction, which increases the maximum penalty for a crime must be formally charged, submitted to the fact finder, treated as a criminal element, and proved beyond a reasonable doubt. ( Apprendi v. New Jersey, supra, 530 U.S. at pp. 476-490, 120 S.Ct. 2348.) We see nothing in Apprendi that would require specific findings regarding the truth of the aggravating circumstances, their relative weight, or the appropriateness of a death penalty. (See also, Ring v. Arizona, supra, 536 U.S. at p. 602, 122 S.Ct. 2428 [requiring jury finding beyond reasonable doubt as to facts essential to punishment]; People v. Anderson (2001) 25 Cal.4th 543, 589-590, fn. 14, 106 Cal.Rptr.2d 575, 22 P.3d 347.) Defendant asserts the court erred in failing to require the jury to submit a statement of reasons supporting its death verdict. We have repeatedly held otherwise. (E.g., People v. Diaz (1992) 3 Cal.4th 495, 571-572, 11 Cal.Rptr.2d 353, 834 P.2d 1171; People v. Frierson (1979) 25 Cal.3d 142, 179, 158 Cal.Rptr. 281, 599 P.2d 587.) Defendant contends the court should have instructed the jury that evidence of defendant's background could only be considered as mitigating evidence. We have rejected the contention that the instructions should identify the various aggravating and mitigating evidence. (E.g., People v. Lewis (2001) 26 Cal.4th 334, 395, 110 Cal.Rptr.2d 272, 28 P.3d 34; People v. Box, supra, 23 Cal.4th at p. 1217, 99 Cal. Rptr.2d 69, 5 P.3d 130; People v. Medina (1990) 51 Cal.3d 870, 909, 274 Cal.Rptr. 849, 799 P.2d 1282.) Defendant cites People v. Hardy (1992) 2 Cal.4th 86, 5 Cal. Rptr.2d 796, 825 P.2d 781, to support his theory the court erred in failing to instruct that evidence of a defendant's background can only be mitigating unless it falls under one of the permissible aggravating factors listed in section 190.3. But Hardy found it unnecessary to reach the question whether such an instruction was required, holding instead that no prejudicial error occurred, because no reasonable possibility existed that the jury improperly considered any of the defendant's background evidence as aggravating. ( Hardy, supra, at pp. 207-208, 5 Cal.Rptr.2d 796, 825 P.2d 781.) We reach the same conclusion here. Defendant points to a portion of the prosecutor's closing argument in which he attempted to rationalize or justify the severe punishment defendant's father inflicted on him on one occasion. Nothing in the argument, however, told the jury to deem defendant's background evidence an aggravating factor to be counted against him.