Opinion ID: 1345837
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: renewed claims

Text: [3] Petitioner does not claim to have good cause for renewing the vast majority of the previously rejected issues. He contends only that approximately seven of these issues either have been so substantially revised as to constitute new claims or are supported by new and persuasive authority. Brief of Petitioner, at 2. [4] A material intervening change in the law would constitute good cause to permit a successive petition under RAP 16.4(d). In re Taylor, supra at 688 (quoting Sanders v. United States, supra at 16-17). Simply revising a previously rejected legal argument, however, neither creates a new claim nor constitutes good cause to reconsider the original claim. As the Supreme Court observed in Sanders, identical grounds may often be proved by different factual allegations. So also, identical grounds may be supported by different legal arguments, ... or be couched in different language, ... or vary in immaterial respects. (Citations omitted.) Sanders v. United States, supra at 16. Thus, for example, a claim of involuntary confession predicated on alleged psychological coercion does not raise a different `ground' than does one predicated on physical coercion. Sanders, at 16. Petitioner's revised arguments in support of his previously rejected claims similarly do not constitute new or different grounds for relief. Additionally, the case law he cites as new is for the most part inapposite. His renewed challenge to the proportionality of his death sentence, however, does involve intervening developments in our approach to proportionality review. Petitioner's direct appeal was only the second case in which we were required to conduct the proportionality review required by RCW 10.95.130. See State v. Campbell, 103 Wn.2d 1, 25, 691 P.2d 929 (1984), cert. denied, 471 U.S. 1094 (1985); Jeffries I, at 430. [5] The several capital cases we have decided since that time have given us both a larger database of potentially similar cases and an opportunity to refine our proportionality analysis. See State v. Rupe, 108 Wn.2d 734, 767, 743 P.2d 210 (1987), cert. denied, 486 U.S. 1061 (1988); State v. Rice, 110 Wn.2d 577, 627, 757 P.2d 889 (1988), cert. denied, 109 S.Ct. 3200 (1989); State v. Harris, 106 Wn.2d 784, 799, 725 P.2d 975 (1986), cert. denied, 480 U.S. 940 (1987); State v. Mak, 105 Wn.2d 692, 755, 718 P.2d 407, cert. denied, 479 U.S. 995 (1986). Since application of that analysis in petitioner's case would serve the ends of justice, we will address the merits of this issue. See In re Taylor, supra at 688 (issue decided on direct appeal will be addressed in subsequent personal restraint petition if to do so would serve the ends of justice). [6] [4, 5] Petitioner contends that his sentence is disproportionate to the prison terms imposed in numerous aggravated first degree murder cases in which the State did not seek the death penalty. The proportionality of a particular defendant's death sentence does not depend upon the State's seeking the death penalty in every case, however, or even in some threshold proportion of cases. The charging decision must be based, in each case, on the prosecutor's assessment of the State's ability to prove there are insufficient mitigating circumstances to merit leniency. RCW 10.95.040(1); State v. Campbell, supra at 25; State v. Bartholomew, 104 Wn.2d 844, 849, 710 P.2d 196 (1985). A jury's decision to impose a death sentence must similarly be based on the jurors' determination that the State has met its burden of proof. See RCW 10.95.060(4), .080(1); State v. Mak, supra . The purpose of proportionality review is not to second-guess evidentiary determinations or value judgments inherent in prosecutors' charging decisions or juries' verdicts in other cases. The purpose is instead to ensure that a death sentence is not affirmed where death sentences have not generally been imposed in similar cases, nor where it has been `wantonly and freakishly imposed.' State v. Rupe, supra at 767 (quoting State v. Harris, supra at 798). A proper definition of the universe of similar cases is essential to a meaningful determination of these questions and requires a careful examination of the circumstances of the crimes and the defendants' personal characteristics. State v. Rupe, supra at 768-70; State v. Rice, supra at 625-28. Simply comparing numbers of victims or other aggravating factors may superficially make two cases appear similar, where in fact there are mitigating circumstances in one case to explain either a jury's verdict not to impose the death penalty or a prosecutor's decision not to seek it. See State v. Mak, supra at 724-25 (mitigating circumstances shown as to one of two codefendants convicted of the same murders). One of the cases petitioner and the dissent cite as similar provides a good example of this point. State v. Kincaid, 103 Wn.2d 304, 306-11, 692 P.2d 823 (1985). In Kincaid, the State did not seek the death penalty against a defendant who killed his wife and sister-in-law. While the number of victims may suggest that Kincaid is a similar case, there are several pertinent distinguishing features. The killings in Kincaid were committed following an emotional marital breakup rather than in the course of another crime. Additionally, the defendant attempted to kill himself after the murders, and he presented a diminished capacity defense at trial which led the jury to convict him only of second degree murder for one of the killings. Considering all of the pertinent facts, we do not find Kincaid to be similar to the present case for purposes of proportionality review. See State v. Rupe, supra at 769; State v. Rice, supra at 626 ( Kincaid not included in the universe of similar multiple murder cases). With respect to the proven aggravating factors  multiple premeditated murders committed during another felony  Rupe and Rice are both similar to the present case. State v. Rupe, supra at 769; State v. Rice, supra at 626. Indeed, the similarities between this case and Rupe make the universe of similar cases we defined there equally pertinent here. It is therefore unnecessary to reexamine reported murder cases or the reports filed pursuant to RCW 10.95.130 in order to define the appropriate universe. We also decline to reconsider petitioner's proportionality claims based on assertedly similar new murder cases. Engaging in that inquiry would result in a never ending sentence review. Considering the universe of similar cases we considered in Rupe in upholding his death sentence, petitioner's sentence is also neither excessive nor disproportionate. His artistic talent does not distinguish him from Rupe, who was involved in community service projects prior to his crimes. Moreover, unlike petitioner, Rupe relied on a lack of prior criminal history as a mitigating factor. Rupe, at 770. In sum, petitioner's death sentence is neither excessive nor disproportionate when compared to the death sentences this court has since upheld in similar cases.