Opinion ID: 3019329
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Mitigation Evidence at the Penalty Hearing

Text: On the day the jury returned its verdict, Shelton’s counsel informed the trial court that he had interviewed Shelton’s mother and sister for approximately three and one-half hours the previous day and intended to call both women as witnesses at the penalty hearing. Counsel also stated that he was considering calling other family members as witnesses to testify on Shelton’s behalf, including Shelton’s brother Edward and two of Shelton’s nieces. Counsel explained that he planned to focus on “what kind of kid [Mr. Shelton] was, what kind of upbringing he’s had, all the difficulties in his life,” and to show “the family relationship and their love for him.” Shelton II, 1997 WL 855718, at . The trial court asked counsel whether there were “any other areas that [he] might have wanted to explore such as schooling or things like that?” Counsel responded in the negative. Id. Counsel submitted a letter to the court the following day that identified forty-three mitigating factors which largely echoed the themes identified to the court the previous day. Id. at , n.16. 25 As noted, at the penalty hearing, three witnesses testified on Shelton’s behalf– Shelton’s half-sisters, Dorothy and Louise, and his half-brother, Edward. Shelton’s siblings recounted their parents’ abuse, difficulties that Shelton faced in school and in their neighborhood, and his otherwise dysfunctional upbringing. The siblings also described Shelton’s close relationship with several members of his family. No other evidence–such as family court records, social service agency records, or expert reports or testimony–was presented to the jury.