Opinion ID: 1152888
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Whether the Enmund-Tison Finding Was Proper.

Text: A person convicted of felony murder is only eligible for a death sentence if he killed, attempted to kill, or intended that a killing take place, Enmund v. Florida, 458 U.S. 782, 797, 102 S.Ct. 3368, 3376, 73 L.Ed.2d 1140 (1982), or was a major participant in the felony and acted with reckless disregard for human life. Tison v. Arizona, 481 U.S. 137, 157-58, 107 S.Ct. 1676, 1688, 95 L.Ed.2d 127 (1987). Defendant alleges that Angela Gray had a higher duty of care to Rachel than defendant and, therefore, she was responsible for Rachel's death by not taking Rachel to the hospital. Based on this assertion, he argues he is not responsible for Rachel's death, and, therefore, the Enmund-Tison finding must fall. Nothing in law or logic supports the proposition that only one person can bear responsibility for a child's death. Indeed, in this case, the mother was also charged with murder and child abuse, and her trial was severed from defendant's. We emphatically reject defendant's suggestion that a parent's guilt exonerates a non-parent, much as did the court of appeals in Smith. See State v. Billy Don Smith, 188 Ariz. 263, 935 P.2d 841 (App. 1996). In State v. Bolton, 182 Ariz. 290, 896 P.2d 830 (1995), we held that, based on the jury instructions, the jurors had found beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant killed the victim. Id. at 315, 896 P.2d at 855. That finding satisfied Enmund. Id. Similarly, in this case, the jury's verdict on Count II (direct physical injury to Rachel) and Count V (felony murder) required a finding beyond a reasonable doubt that defendant killed Rachel. The medical examiner testified that Rachel's death was caused by peritonitis after the rupture of her small intestine was left untreated. The jury convicted defendant of causing the rupture of Rachel's small intestine, the specific injury that led to her death (Count II). This supports a death eligible finding under Enmund. In addition, defendant is also clearly death eligible under Tison, as he was not only a major participant in the underlying felonies, but was the sole participant in the assault of Rachel, and he obviously acted with reckless disregard toward human life.