Opinion ID: 1288191
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Failure to Make a Separate Enmund/Tison Finding

Text: Defendant argues that because the jury found him guilty of felony murder, there was no finding beyond a reasonable doubt that defendant killed, attempted to kill, or intended to kill the victim. Absent such a finding, punishment by death is unconstitutional. Enmund v. Florida, 458 U.S. 782, 797, 102 S.Ct. 3368, 3376, 73 L.Ed.2d 1140 (1982). Defendant's claim is without merit. Given the jury instructions, the jury necessarily found beyond a reasonable doubt that defendant himself killed the victim. That finding satisfies Enmund. See Atwood, 171 Ariz. at 650, 832 P.2d at 667. 6. Failure to Consider the Giving of a Felony Murder Instruction As a Mitigating Factor Defendant argues that the trial court should have considered the giving of a felony murder instruction as a mitigating factor. The giving of a felony murder instruction is a mitigating circumstance only where there is some doubt as to the defendant's specific intent to kill. Gillies, 135 Ariz. at 513, 662 P.2d at 1020. It is not relevant to mitigation where the defendant knew with substantial certainty that his conduct would cause death. State v. Zaragoza, 135 Ariz. 63, 70, 659 P.2d 22, 29, cert. denied, 462 U.S. 1124, 103 S.Ct. 3097, 77 L.Ed.2d 1356 (1983). Defendant stabbed the victim in the chest and left her hidden in the back of an abandoned automobile. He must have known that his conduct would cause death. Thus, the giving of a felony murder instruction is not a relevant mitigating factor. 7. Family Impact Statement At sentencing, the trial court heard statements from the victim's parents, primarily the victim's mother. She described her grief and expressed frustration with defendant's failure to show remorse. She then expressed her wish that defendant die the same way that the victim died, describing her perception of the abduction and killing in graphic detail. The mother closed by saying that defendant ought to receive the maximum sentence that this Court will allow. The victim's father endorsed the mother's testimony and also asked that the court hand down the strictest and most punitive sentencing allowable by law. Defendant argues that admission of these statements violated his right to due process of law and his right against infliction of cruel and unusual punishment. We acknowledge that family testimony concerning the appropriate sentence may violate the Constitution if presented to a capital sentencing jury. See Payne v. Tennessee, 501 U.S. 808, 111 S.Ct. 2597, 115 L.Ed.2d 720 (1991); Booth v. Maryland, 482 U.S. 496, 107 S.Ct. 2529, 96 L.Ed.2d 440 (1987). We also acknowledge that victim impact testimony is not relevant to any of our statutory aggravating factors. Atwood, 171 Ariz. at 656, 832 P.2d at 673. We nonetheless find no reversible error. Defendant, like all criminal defendants in Arizona, was sentenced by a judge, and the judge expressly stated on the record that he would consider the parents' statements only in connection with the noncapital counts. Absent evidence to the contrary, we have assumed that the trial judge in a capital case is capable of focusing on the relevant sentencing factors and setting aside the irrelevant, inflammatory, and emotional factors. Id. at 657, 832 P.2d at 674. Given this assumption and the trial judge's express avowal, we find no error. 8. Proportionality Review Defendant claims that his sentence of death is disproportionate. This court no longer conducts proportionality reviews. Salazar, 173 Ariz. at 417, 844 P.2d at 584. DISPOSITION We have considered all the issues appropriately raised by defendant and find that defendant's convictions are proper. We have conducted an independent review of defendant's sentence of death and find it appropriate. We have searched the record and found no fundamental error. See A.R.S. § 13-4035 (1989). We therefore affirm defendant's convictions and sentences. FELDMAN, C.J., and CORCORAN, ZLAKET and MARTONE, JJ., concur.