State v. Phillips
State v. Phillips
Concurring in Part
concurring in part, dissenting in part.
¶ 16 I concur in the result, but dissent from the majoi'ity’s conclusion that harmless error analysis is appropriate where sentencing determinations are made by the trial judge in the absence of the jury. The right to trial by an impartial jury is fundamental. The sentencing phase is, of itself, a life or death matter. Where a judge, not a jury, determines all questions pertaining to sentencing, I believe a violation of the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States has occurred. In the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision in Ring v. Arizona, 536 U.S. 584, 122 S.Ct. 2428, 153 L.Ed.2d 556 (2002) (Ring II), the absence of the jury in the sentencing phase of a capital trial necessarily amounts to structural error. I would remand the case for resentencing, simply on the basis of the Sixth Amendment violation. See State v. Ring, 204 Ariz. 534, 565-67 ¶¶ 105-14, 65 P.3d 915, 946-48 (2003) (Feldman J., concurring in part, dissenting in part) (Ring III).
Opinion of the Court
SUPPLEMENTAL OPINION
¶ 1 Keith Phillips was sentenced to death under a procedure found unconstitutional in Ring v. Arizona, 536 U.S. 584, 122 S.Ct. 2428, 153 L.Ed.2d 556 (2002) (Ring II). In Ring II, the Supreme Court held that Arizona’s capital sentencing scheme violated the defendant’s Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial.
¶ 2 On remand, we consolidated all eases, including Phillips’, in which the death penalty had been imposed and the mandate had not yet issued from this court, to determine whether Ring II requires reversal or vacatur of the death sentences in these cases. State v. Ring, 204 Ariz. 534, 544, ¶¶ 5-6, 65 P.3d 915, 925 (2003) (Ring III). We concluded that we must review each death sentence imposed under Arizona’s superseded capital sentencing statutes for harmless error. Id. at 556, ¶ 53, 65 P.3d at 936. This is that review in Phillips’ ease.
FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY
¶ 3 On March 1, 1999, a jury found Keith Phillips guilty of two counts of attempted murder, and forty-five counts of armed rob
DISCUSSION
A. Aggravating Circumstances
1. Prior serious offense
¶4 Arizona law lists as an aggravating circumstance whether “[t]he defendant was previously convicted of a serious offense, whether preparatory or completed.” A.R.S. § 13-703(F)(2). The trial judge found that Phillips had been convicted of prior serious offenses, armed robbery and aggravated assault, in 1998. Phillips, 202 Ariz. at 438-39, ¶ 57, 46 P.3d at 1059-60. Further, the judge determined that the twenty-five convictions for armed robbery, aggravated assault, and kidnapping committed during the first two robberies in the series of robberies at issue also constituted prior serious offenses.
¶ 5 In Ring III, we held “that the Sixth Amendment does not require a jury to determine prior convictions under sections 13-703.F.1 and F.2.” 204 Ariz. at 556-57, ¶ 55, 65 P.3d at 936-37. Accordingly, we will not disturb the trial judge’s finding that the aggravating circumstance of prior serious offenses was proved, rendering Phillips eligible for the death sentence.
2. Pecuniary gain
¶ 6 Arizona law makes commission of an offense “in expectation of the receipt ... of anything of pecuniary value” an aggravating circumstance. A.R.S. § 13-703(F)(5). A finding of pecuniary gain does not automatically follow each time a robbery results in murder; rather, the inquiry is highly fact intensive. Ring III, 204 Ariz. at 560, ¶¶ 76-77, 65 P.3d at 941.
¶7 The trial judge found that the State proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the murder was motivated by Phillips’ desire “to obtain money to buy drugs,” a pecuniary motive. This finding fulfills the requirement that “the state must prove that the murder would not have occurred but for the defendant’s pecuniary motive.” Id. ¶75 (citing State v. Harding, 137 Ariz. 278, 296-97, 670 P.2d 383, 394-95 (1983)). We affirmed the pecuniary gain factor on appeal. Phillips, 202 Ariz. at 438, ¶ 55, 46 P.3d at 1059.
¶ 8 Because the finding of pecuniary gain is so fact-intensive, however, we cannot affirm a pecuniary gain finding unless we are convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that no reasonable jury could find that the State failed to prove pecuniary gain beyond a reasonable doubt. See Ring III, 204 Ariz. at 560, ¶¶ 76-79, 65 P.3d at 941. Only in such a case will we find harmless error regarding that factor. Id. ¶ 79.
¶ 9 This court has held that pecuniary gain is an aggravating factor if “a murder was
¶ 10 Next, the judge determined that Phillips participated in the murder for pecuniary gain.
¶ 11 Finch, the shooter, killed the victim to avoid detection and further the robbery. See Phillips, 202 Ariz. at 437, ¶ 44, 46 P.3d at 1058. The evidence is not so clear, however, that Phillips shared Finch’s motivation. The Supreme Court has said that in a capital case based on felony murder, the punishment must reflect the defendant’s own culpability, not that of the person who did the actual killing. Enmund v. Florida, 458 U.S. 782, 798, 102 S.Ct. 3368, 3377, 73 L.Ed.2d 1140 (1982).
¶ 12 While on remand a jury may well conclude that Phillips participated in the crime for pecuniary gain, we cannot say beyond a reasonable doubt that it would so conclude. See State v. Fulminante, 161 Ariz. 237, 245, 778 P.2d 602, 610 (1988) (holding that the error is harmless if the court can determine, beyond a reasonable doubt, that error did not affect the verdict).
B. Mitigating Circumstances
¶ 13 To sentence a defendant to death, not only must the trier of fact find, beyond a reasonable doubt, the existence of one or more aggravating circumstances, but it must also consider whether any mitigating circumstances are sufficiently substantial to call for leniency. See A.R.S. § 13-703(E) (Supp. 2002). Ring III allows us to “affirm a capital sentence only if we conclude, beyond a reasonable doubt, that no rational trier of fact would determine that the mitigating circumstances were sufficiently substantial to call for leniency.” 204 Ariz. at 565, ¶ 104, 65 P.3d at 946.
¶ 14 Phillips offered more than ten mitigating circumstances for the court’s consideration. The trial judge found only two mitigators,
¶ 15 Accordingly, because we cannot say that the sentencing procedure used here resulted in harmless error, we vacate Phillips’ death sentence and remand for resentencing under A.R.S. section 13-703 and 13-703.01 (Supp. 2002).
. The legislature has since amended the statute requiring judge-sentencing in capital cases. See 2002 Ariz. Sess. Laws, 5th Spec. Sess. ch. 1, § 1.
. The trial judge also considered the armed robbery, kidnapping, and aggravated assault charges from the third robbery in his (F)(2) finding. Phillips, 202 Ariz. at 438-39, ¶ 57, 46 P.3d at 1059-60. This court held that the trial court erred in considering the charges from the third robbery, but found the error harmless because Phillips’ 1998 convictions as well as the convictions from the first two robberies satisfied the (F)(2) circumstance. Id. ¶¶ 56-57.
. We bear in mind that when the trial judge was making this determination, Phillips still stood convicted of both felony and premeditated murder. It is impossible to say whether his analysis would have differed had Phillips stood convicted only of felony murder at his sentencing.
. The special verdict reflects that the judge found two mitigating factors; the reported opinion reflects that one was found. See Special Verdict at 5; Phillips, 202 Ariz. at 433, ¶ 15, 46 P.3d at 1054. We need not resolve this discrepancy because this issue will be re-tried.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- STATE of Arizona, Appellee, v. Keith Royal PHILLIPS, Appellant
- Cited By
- 7 cases
- Status
- Published