Opinion ID: 2611426
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Passion or prejudice influencing death sentence

Text: NRS 177.055(2)(c) requires this court to review [w]hether the sentence of death was imposed under the influence of passion, prejudice or any arbitrary factor. Nika argues that the jury's rejection of any mitigating factors demonstrates that the sentence was imposed under the influence of passion and prejudice. The prosecution argues that the jury's failure to find any mitigating factors resulted from the fact that no mitigating evidence was produced at the sentencing hearing. We conclude that the jury's failure to find any mitigating factors does not prove it acted under the influence of passion or prejudice. The only mitigating evidence produced by Nika came from his family members, and that testimony was very limited. Rodika, Nika's wife, testified that she believed that Nika was generally a good person, but she also admitted that Nika was violent and had threatened to kill her, her mother, and her father on separate occasions. Dorina Vukadin, Rodika's sister, also testified for the defense. She stated that Nika played sports with her children and that her children liked him, but also that he was a stern disciplinarian. She also stated that he sometimes exposed her children to violent movies and television programs. Anna, Nika's mother-in-law, testified for the prosecution, and her testimony was primarily concerned with Nika's death threats against her and members of her family. On cross-examination, the only positive statement she made regarding Nika was that Nika and Rodika's child loved Nika. We conclude, therefore, that the jury could reasonably have found that the mitigating circumstances did not outweigh the aggravating circumstances and that the sentence of death was not imposed under the influence of passion, prejudice or any arbitrary factor. Accordingly, we affirm Nika's judgment of conviction and sentence of death. SHEARING, J., concurs.