Opinion ID: 2686798
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: state’s penalty phase evidence

Text: The penalty phase before the jury began on March 11, 1994.
At Mendoza’s 1994 trial, the State established the aggravating circumstance that Mendoza was previously convicted of another violent felony. See Fla. Stat. § 921.141(5)(b). Specifically, the State introduced Mendoza’s 1993 convictions for robbery with a firearm, aggravated battery, burglary of a conveyance with a firearm, and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony—all stemming from his 1992 armed robbery of Robert Street. Mendoza received a 12-year sentence for these offenses. The State also called Street, the victim of Mendoza’s criminal behavior. The State used Street’s testimony to establish the circumstances surrounding Mendoza’s previous violent felony convictions. Street testified that, on February 14, 1992 (approximately one month before the Calderon murder), he was assaulted and robbed at around 11:30 PM as he returned to his Miami townhome. Street exited his vehicle, turned around, and saw two men approaching him. Street identified Mendoza as one of the two men who assaulted him that night. Mendoza carried a gun and beat Street with it. 9 Case: 13-14968 Date Filed: 07/31/2014 Page: 10 of 58 Mendoza instructed Street to lie down, face-forward, on the ground. In a “[v]ery agitated” tone, the assailants ordered Street to “give them [his] money.” Mendoza repeatedly poked Street in the face with the barrel of the gun. Mendoza and the other man took Street’s watch, wedding ring, wallet (containing $100), car keys, and residence keys. They ransacked Street’s car, but took nothing. They came back to Street, still lying on the ground, “and got crazy.” The attackers punched Street in the back of the head, poked him with the gun “over and over,” and repeatedly asked him “where [the] money was.” They refused to believe that Street had given them all the money he had. The men did not enter Street’s residence, but they threatened to do so. After Street told them his wife was inside, one man said, “‘We are going to go in there and get the money.’” Mendoza struck Street forcefully beneath the left eye “in an effort maybe to knock [him] out.” The other man twice said, “‘Just shoot him.’”
Dr. Anastasio Castiello, a psychiatrist, also testified. Prior to trial, Dr. Castiello interviewed Mendoza in Spanish to complete a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation only for competency to stand trial. During the interview, Mendoza responded to questions “rather vaguely” and Dr. Castiello “had to pinpoint him as to details.” Dr. Castiello considered Mendoza “to be a totally unreliable informant.” 10 Case: 13-14968 Date Filed: 07/31/2014 Page: 11 of 58 For example, Dr. Castiello discounted Mendoza’s drug abuse claims. Dr. Castiello testified that “when any kind of situation is unpleasant, there is a tendency to overemphasize the [drug] usage or misusage.” Mendoza talked to her about his drug use. Mendoza told Dr. Castiello about “dreams or fantasies” he experienced while sleeping. Dr. Castiello testified that Mendoza “appeared to be making sort of an effort to appear that he was having all those things that nobody else has.”