Opinion ID: 1355634
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Double Counting of Circumstances of Charged Offense

Text: As defendant notes, among other factors the jury is to consider in aggravation or mitigation under section 190.3 are (a) [t]he circumstances of the crime for which the defendant was convicted in the present proceeding and the existence of any special circumstances found to be true ...; (b) [t]he presence or absence of criminal activity by the defendant which involved the use or attempted use of force or violence or the express or implied threat to use force or violence; and (c) [t]he presence or absence of any prior felony conviction. Defendant urges that, literally construed, this language allows the jury to count the violent circumstances of the current crime as aggravating factors under both factors (a) and (b). (12) We have held that the term criminal activity [involving] force or violence as used in section 190.3 factor (b) is limited to conduct other than the immediate circumstances for which the death penalty is being contemplated. ( Melton, supra, 44 Cal.3d at p. 763; People v. Miranda (1987) 44 Cal.3d 57, 105-106 [241 Cal. Rptr. 594, 744 P.2d 1127].) But as those cases explain, in the absence of improper argument by the prosecutor, any ambiguity in the language of the statute or current instructions will rarely have caused prejudice. ( Ibid. ) Defendant cites no such improper argument here.