Opinion ID: 2103748
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 26

Heading: Mitigator Burden of Proof Instruction

Text: The defendant contends that the trial court erred in giving the following instruction to the jury in the sentencing phase: To find that a mitigating fact or circumstance exists, it must be proved by a preponderance of the evidence. It need not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. To establish by a preponderance of the evidence means that something is more likely true than not. In other words, a preponderance of evidence in this case means such evidence, when considered and compared with that opposed to it, has more convincing force, and produces in your minds a belief that what is sought to be proved is more likely true than not true. Record at 3932. The defendant contends that his rights to due process of law, a fair fact finding, and a fair weighing process were denied by instructing the jury that he had the burden of proving the existence of mitigating circumstances by a preponderance of the evidence. He argues that this instruction raises a substantial possibility that the jury's death recommendation was unreliable, as certain facts which might call for a sentence less than death, but which were not established by a preponderance, were excluded from the weighing process. The defendant further argues that this instruction is misleading and confusing when read and considered with another instruction in which the court informed the jury that the defendant is not required to prove his innocence, to present evidence of mitigating factors, or to prove or explain anything. Record at 3925. Contrary to the defendant's argument that the questioned instruction implicitly placed a burden of proof upon him, the instruction in fact reduced his burden of proof and clarified for the jury that the defendant was not required to prove mitigating circumstances beyond a reasonable doubt. A jury should not be misled into thinking that it must accept any alleged mitigating circumstances even if supported by only a scintilla of evidence. Lowery v. State (1989), Ind., 547 N.E.2d 1046, 1056, cert. denied, (1990), 498 U.S. 881, 111 S.Ct. 217, 112 L.Ed.2d 176. The instruction correctly identifies the standard of proof for mitigating circumstances to be the preponderance of evidence standard. Rouster v. State (1992), Ind., 600 N.E.2d 1342, 1348. We also disagree with the defendant's assertion that the instruction was misleading and confusing in combination with other instructions. It is not inconsistent to inform the jury that the defendant is not required to prove his innocence, to present evidence of mitigating factors, or to prove or explain anything, while at the same time informing the jury of the standard of proof required for mitigating circumstances to warrant consideration in the weighing process. We find no error in the giving of this instruction.