Opinion ID: 1267767
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The evidence at sentencing

Text: The prosecution and Libberton each called two witnesses to testify at the sentencing hearing. The state's witnesses, Carl Hass and Bill Fitzgerald, both testified that Libberton had walked away from a work furlough program in the days before Maya's murder. Lim called Nancy Henry and Geraldine Smith. Henry was a friend of Libberton's mother, but she explained that until the time of the crime she had not seen Libberton in ten years. She testified that Libberton had a love-hate relationship with his father, and that he tries to please his father but can't. She testified that Libberton's father disappointed him a lot, and at times ran him down. She further explained that she had visited Libberton in jail, and he admitted to having used drugs. Finally, she testified that she did not consider Libberton a violent person, and that he is more of a follower. Smith testified that she was the mother of one of Libberton's ex-girlfriends. She had known Libberton for a few years, and he had lived in her home for approximately a month. Like Henry, Smith testified that Libberton had difficulties with his father, and that he would try and go forward, [but] his dad would knock him down, and now he is here today because of his dad. She explained that Libberton's father had refused to pay Libberton for work done at the father's business, and that Libberton broke into his dad's place, because his dad owed him money and his dad wouldn't pay him. She also reported that Libberton had used drugs regularly, and that he was not a violent person. On crossexamination, Smith admitted that she had not talked with Libberton in a long time, not since my daughter and him broke up. Smith also explained that Libberton had suffered an injury as a child falling out of a vehicle, that he had once been hit by his stepmother over the head, and that he had once been hit over the head with a bat. As a consequence, [h]e had terrible, terrible headaches and tried to go see a doctor. However, his father would not help him pay, so he never went. In Lim's closing, he emphasized that Libberton had a troubled relationship with his father, and that there was no record of Libberton having previously committed any violent crimes. Lim also pointed to Libberton's psychological issues, and said that he had previously tried to get psychological help. Lim stated that Libberton appeared to be a follower rather than the instigator and that Mr. James apparently wanted the person killed, and that Libberton was really like a blind sheep. The sentencing court also had before it a presentence report (PSR), and reports from Drs. Paul Bindelglas and George Dee. Libberton's father told the PSR investigator that while the crime was uncharacteristic of his son's behavior, he does not doubt that the defendant actually committed this crime and, in fact, believes he may have been the leader in planning the crime. While the PSR's social history explained that Libberton had moved frequently as a child, it reports no childhood abuse. The PSR stated that Libberton had been treated by a psychiatrist for emotional problems he experienced as an adolescent, and that he had never received psychological treatment that he alleged was promised to him by a state court. Dr. Bindelglas described Libberton as a young man from a broken home who seems to have some effeminate mannerisms but no overt homosexual activities. It was Bingelglas's opinion that [a]lthough Mr. Libberton is sane legally, I do feel he has severe psychological problems. Moreover, Bindelglas stated that I do not believe Mr. Libberton acted with premeditation. He is much too impulsive for that. Dr. Dee reported that Libberton suffered from chronic depression, and had severe emotional problems. He further concluded that [w]ithout intensive treatment he would be like a time bomb waiting to go off.