Opinion ID: 1447881
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Instruction on Factors as Aggravating and Mitigating

Text: In conformance with Penal Code section 190.3 and the standard penalty phase jury instruction, CALJIC No. 8.84.1 (1986 rev.) (4th ed. 1987 pocket pt., pp. 135-136), the trial court instructed the jury that, in determining the penalty, it must consider and be guided by 11 factors, if applicable. The trial court added: The factors which I have just listed for you may be considered by you, if applicable, as either aggravating factors or mitigating factors. [ถ] If you find any of these factors to be aggravating, and to have been established by the evidence, you may consider them in determining the penalty you will impose in this case. (26a) Defendant contends this instruction was erroneous. He is correct. A majority of the 11 statutory factors can only be mitigating. (See, e.g., People v. Gallego (1990) 52 Cal.3d 115, 200 [276 Cal. Rptr. 679, 802 P.2d 169] [ง 190.3, factors (e), (f), (g) and (j)]; People v. Whitt (1990) 51 Cal.3d 620, 654 [274 Cal. Rptr. 252, 798 P.2d 849] [ง 190.3, factors (d), (e), (f), (h) and (k)]; but see People v. Proctor (1992) 4 Cal.4th 499, 553 [15 Cal. Rptr.2d 340, 842 P.2d 1100] [whether ง 190.3, factor (j) can only be mitigating is undecided].) The Attorney General, however, argues that, because the two-paragraph instruction (quoted in the preceding paragraph) was requested by the defense, any error was invited and cannot be raised on appeal under the doctrine of invited error. When a defense attorney makes a conscious, deliberate tactical choice to forego a particular instruction, the invited error doctrine bars an argument on appeal that the instruction was omitted in error. ( People v. Cooper (1991) 53 Cal.3d 771, 831 [281 Cal. Rptr. 90, 809 P.2d 865]; People v. Duncan, supra, 53 Cal.3d at p. 970.) When defense counsel makes an equally conscious and deliberate tactical choice to request a particular instruction โ such as the instruction defense counsel specifically requested here โ there is no reason to apply a different rule. Accordingly, we conclude the error was invited, and defendant cannot raise it on appeal. (27) Even a deliberate tactical choice by counsel, however, may be an incompetent one. Thus, we have also recognized that a defendant who is barred from raising instructional error by the invited error doctrine may always claim he received ineffective assistance of counsel. ( People v. Cooper, supra, 53 Cal.3d at p. 831.) Defendant does so here. (26b) To prevail on a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel on appeal, the defendant must show that there was no rational tactical purpose for counsel's act or omission, and that it is reasonably probable that, absent counsel's deficiencies, a more favorable result would have been obtained. ( Strickland v. Washington, supra, 466 U.S. 668, 690, 694 [80 L.Ed.2d 674, 695, 697, 104 S.Ct. 2052]; In re Wilson, supra, 3 Cal.4th 945, 950; People v. Mitcham (1992) 1 Cal.4th 1027, 1057-1058 [5 Cal. Rptr.2d 230, 824 P.2d 1277].) Although no tactical purpose for requesting the instruction on aggravating and mitigating factors appears on the face of the record, we cannot determine on the record alone whether counsel could have had no rational tactical purpose for requesting this instruction. Accordingly, based on this record, we must reject defendant's claim of ineffective assistance of counsel.