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David Lee
HOLLAND Sr.
Bank robbery
The New York Times
August 13, 1993
A man convicted of killing a bank
manager during a robbery in 1985 was put to death early today by
lethal injection, becoming the 10th person to be executed in Texas
this year.
His appeal to the state's highest criminal court
was denied on Tuesday, officials said.
The condemned man, David Lee Holland, 58, was
pronounced dead at 12:16 A.M., central daylight time, about four
minutes after officials began injecting the lethal chemicals into his
arms.
Mr. Holland was the second man to be put to death
here in the last seven days, and was the 64th person to be executed
since the state resumed the death penalty in 1982.
Mr. Holland was sentenced to be executed for the
July 1985 robbery and murder of the manager of a savings and loan
office in Port Arthur. He did not have a last statement, a prison
spokesman, Charles Brown, said.
Mr. Holland, a security officer for eight years at
a bank branch, was convicted of killing Helen Barnard, 29, the office
manager, during the robbery. Ms. Barnard and a teller, Dianna Jackson,
23, were herded into the bank's vault and shot with a .45-caliber
pistol. About $8,000 was taken in the robbery.
He was convicted in the slaying of Ms. Barnard and
was also charged with the Jackson killing but was never tried. He was
identified by a videotape of the robbery.
David Lee HOLLAND,
Petitioner-Appellant, v.
James A. COLLINS, Director, Texas Department of Criminal
Justice, Institutional Division, Respondent-Appellee.
No. 91-5093.
United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit.
Dec. 17, 1991.
Before POLITZ, KING and SMITH,
Circuit Judges.
Before the court is an
application for a certificate of probable cause and stay of
execution in David Lee Holland's first federal habeas petition.
The stay of execution is GRANTED pending this court's en banc
decision in Graham v. Collins, No. 88-2168 on the docket of this
court.
*****
JERRY E. SMITH, Circuit Judge,
dissenting:
I respectfully dissent from
the decision of my able and conscientious colleagues to grant a
stay of execution in this matter. The majority has shown no
basis for a constitutional violation or for the interference
with the state criminal process that is implicated by a stay of
execution.
I.
Specifically, the majority has
failed to show, or even to address, whether the standards for a
stay of execution have been satisfied in this case. It is well
established that a stay of execution may be granted only if the
following questions can be answered in the affirmative:
(1) whether the movant has made a showing of
likelihood of success on the merits, (2) whether the movant has
made a showing of irreparable injury if the stay is not granted,
(3) whether the granting of the stay would substantially harm
the other parties, and (4) whether the granting of the stay
would serve the public interest.
Celestine v. Butler, 823 F.2d
74, 77 (5th Cir.), cert. denied, 483 U.S. 1036, 108 S.Ct. 6, 97
L.Ed.2d 796 (1987). As to the first requirement, we have
elaborated that in a capital case, "while the movant need not
always show a probability of success on the merits, he must
present a substantial case on the merits when a serious legal
question is involved and show that the balance of the equities [i.e.
the other three factors] weighs heavily in favor of granting the
stay." O'Bryan v. McKaskle, 729 F.2d 991, 993 (5th Cir.1984) (brackets
in original). Indeed, as I discuss below, the issues presented
by this petitioner fall far short of constituting a substantial
case on the merits, much less one of likelihood of success on
the merits.1
II.
David Lee Holland is scheduled
to be executed after midnight on December 18, 1991. On December
11, 1991, he filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus and
motion for stay of execution in federal district court. On
December 17, 1991, the district court denied the petition for
writ of habeas corpus, a certificate of probable cause to
appeal, a stay of execution, and an evidentiary hearing. It
granted the state's motion for summary judgment and the
petitioner's request to proceed in forma pauperis. At this
eleventh hour, Holland now comes to this court, requesting a
certificate of probable cause and a stay of execution. Holland
makes no assertion of factual innocence but raised some fifteen
points in the district court, involving the penalty phase of his
trial.
III.
Holland was indicted for the
capital murder of Helen Barnard while in the course of
committing and attempting to commit robbery. The offense
occurred in the course of Holland's robbery of a savings and
loan branch. The facts are amply set forth in the opinion of the
Court of Criminal Appeals affirming on Holland's direct appeal.
See Holland v. State, 761 S.W.2d 307, 311-12 (Tex.Crim.App.1988),
cert. denied, 489 U.S. 1091, 109 S.Ct. 1560, 103 L.Ed.2d 863
(1989).
IV.
Following Holland's indictment,
a unitary trial was conducted on February 26, 1986. After jury
selection, Holland pleaded guilty to the charge of capital
murder. The jury then returned affirmative answers to the two
Texas special issue questions it was required to answer pursuant
to former Tex.Code Crim.Proc. Art. 37.071(b)(1), (2). The Court
of Criminal Appeals then affirmed. Holland v. State, 761 S.W.2d
307 (Tex.Crim.App.1988), cert. denied, 489 U.S. 1091, 109 S.Ct.
1560, 103 L.Ed.2d 863 (1989). Holland filed a timely state
petition for writ of habeas corpus on July 26, 1989. On October
16, 1991, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals issued an opinion
denying all relief. See Ex parte Holland, No. 70,970 (Tex.Crim.App.
Oct. 16, 1991). The state trial court then set Holland's
execution for some time after midnight on December 18, 1991. On
appeal, Holland raises only two issues in support of his motion
for stay: mitigating evidence and the voluntariness of his
confession.
V.
As his primary claim in this
petition, Holland asserts that the special issues answered by
the jury pursuant to Tex.Code Crim.P. art. 37.071 precluded the
jury from considering evidence presented by Holland at the
sentencing phase of the trial and giving full mitigating effect
to that evidence. (Only the second special issue is in question
here, as Holland's attorney conceded to the jury that it should
answer the first special issue in the affirmative.) The second
statutory issue, answered affirmatively by the jury, is whether
there is "a probability that the defendant would commit criminal
acts of violence that would constitute a continuing threat to
society."
As set forth in Holland's
petition, the supposedly mitigating evidence that Holland
presented included an exemplary work record, the lack of any
violent criminal past, a candid confession by Holland
immediately after his arrest, Holland's full cooperation in the
state's investigation of the crime, Holland's unconditional
guilty plea, and a troubled family history. In Penry v. Lynaugh,
492 U.S. 302, 109 S.Ct. 2934, 106 L.Ed.2d 256 (1989), the Court
held that the Texas special issue scheme precludes juries from
giving mitigating effect to certain types of mitigating evidence,
specifically, in Penry's case, evidence of child abuse and
mental retardation. Penry applied the holding of Franklin v.
Lynaugh, 487 U.S. 164, 108 S.Ct. 2320, 101 L.Ed.2d 155 (1980),
which had acknowledged that the Texas special issues violate the
Eighth Amendment if the defendant's evidence either is "not
relevant to the special verdict question" or has "relevance to
the defendant's moral culpability beyond the scope of the
special verdict questions." Id. at 185, 108 S.Ct. at 2333 (O'Connor,
J., concurring).
I disagree with Holland's
assertion that, for purposes of determining the
constitutionality of the Texas sentencing scheme as applied to
Holland, the evidence presented by Holland is similar to that
presented by Penry. Unlike the evidence presented by Penry,
Holland's mitigating evidence readily could be considered by the
jury in answering the second interrogatory. That evidence was
introduced and presented to the jury as an attempt to show that
the crime in question was an aberration from Holland's normal
non-violent character. Accordingly, that evidence fits squarely
within the second issue, as it is wholly relevant to the
question of whether there was a probability that Holland would
commit future acts of violence.
Holland's primary effort
before the jury at the sentencing hearing was to show that
Holland had no violent criminal past and that the incident in
question was a result of specific family and financial pressures
and did not reflect an overall or continuing tendency to commit
future acts of violence. Holland's attorney argued that his
peaceful and hard-working past showed that he would likely be
that way in the future; he also asserted that Holland had shown
remorse for what he had done and had accepted responsibility for
his crime, thus indicating that he was capable of rehabilitation.
The nature of this evidence is
in stark contrast to that in Penry. There, the evidence of
mental retardation and child abuse was mitigating in the sense
that a jury could consider it to lessen Penry's culpability. The
defect in the Texas scheme, as applied to Penry, however, was
that such evidence could not be considered as mitigating in
terms of the second special issue but only could be aggravating
in that it could be interpreted as indicating a likelihood of
future dangerousness. This is what the Penry Court meant by the
"two-edged" nature of the Penry mitigating evidence: that,
absent additional instruction, a death sentence imposed under
the Texas special issues is unconstitutional if the defendant's
evidence mitigates against a death sentence for reasons wholly
unrelated to--and independent of--the special issue inquiries.
Thus, Holland's argument, seeking to liken his mitigating
evidence to Penry's, is without merit, and he is entitled to no
relief based upon this argument.
This court has consistently
held that the sort of evidence claimed here to be mitigating
fits squarely within the second Texas special interrogatory and
can be given proper effect under Franklin v. Lynaugh, 487 U.S.
164, 108 S.Ct. 2320, 101 L.Ed.2d 155 (1988). For example, in May
v. Collins, 904 F.2d 228, 230 (5th Cir.1990), cert. denied, ---
U.S. ----, 111 S.Ct. 770, 112 L.Ed.2d 789 (1991), we held that
evidence of good work habits and a good employee record could be
considered by the jury under the second jury interrogatory. "With
regard to the evidence May actually introduced during the
punishment phase, we agree with the district court's conclusion
that the jury was able to give effect to that evidence through
the special issue on future dangerousness." Id. at 232 n. 4 (citing
Franklin). In Russell v. Lynaugh, 892 F.2d 1205, 1214-15 (5th
Cir.1989), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 111 S.Ct. 2909, 115 L.Ed.2d
1073 (1991), we held that the petitioner's crime-free background
could be considered by the jury and that the "second special
issue ... would have provided the jury with an adequate vehicle
to give mitigating effect to that evidence" (citing Penry, 109
S.Ct. at 2948). In McCoy v. Lynaugh, 874 F.2d 954, 966 (5th
Cir.), stay denied, 490 U.S. 1086, 109 S.Ct. 2114, 104 L.Ed.2d
674 (1989), we determined that the fact that the petitioner had
not shown any generally violent tendencies bore directly on the
second issue regarding future dangerousness and "could easily be
considered by the jury." Additionally, in Bridge v. Lynaugh, 856
F.2d 712, 715 (5th Cir.), modified on rehearing, 860 F.2d 162
(5th Cir.1988), modified on other grounds, 863 F.2d 370 (5th
Cir.1989), vacated on other grounds, 494 U.S. 1013, 110 S.Ct.
1313, 108 L.Ed.2d 489 (1990), the petitioner argued, in
mitigation, that he had not been connected with any violent
crime before the incident in question. We concluded that that
evidence "clearly could properly be addressed under the Texas
law." Id. Thus, Holland raises no issue of arguable merit in
regard to the limited mitigating evidence that he presented to
the jury, as the jury was able to give ample effect to that
evidence through the second jury interrogatory.
VI.
Holland asserts that the state
secured a confession from him in the absence of a valid waiver
of his right to remain silent, in violation of Miranda v.
Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694 (1966). The
state trial court conducted a thorough hearing on this matter,
producing a transcript of 143 pages. That court also filed five
pages of findings of fact and conclusions of law, finding that "the
confession of the Defendant was freely and voluntarily made
without any compulsion or persuasion and that it is admissible
on the trial of the case on its merits."
The record shows that Holland
was administered his Miranda warnings when he was first brought
to the police station, even though he was not then under arrest,
and that he knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily waived his
rights and talked with the police. Immediately after the police
decided to arrest him at 12:20 a.m., he was given his Miranda
warnings again, at which time he stated that he no longer wished
to speak with the police. He did not request an attorney, and
there was no further questioning at that time. About three hours
later, he was taken before a magistrate and again warned of his
rights; he made no statement, nor did he request an attorney.
Detective Chesson, who had
known Holland for some time because of prior investigations of
Holland unrelated to the instant offense, went to Holland's
house to execute a search warrant. At about 4:00 o'clock,
Chesson received a telephone call from another officer who
stated that Holland wished to speak to Chesson.
Chesson returned to the police
station and sat down with Holland and asked Holland what he
could do for Holland. Chesson testified that this was not a
conversation that he had initiated. Holland asked Chesson
whether Chesson could arrange for Holland to meet with Holland's
wife. Chesson testified, "He said that he had some things that
he wanted to tell her and then he, in his words, would tell me
what I wanted to know, or I will tell you what you want to
know." Chesson agreed to summon Holland's wife but specifically
testified that he did not make a deal with Holland, such as an
agreement that Holland's wife would be made available only if
Holland then confessed.
Mrs. Holland was called and
said she would be immediately available, but Holland decided
that he wanted to get some rest before talking with her.
Significantly, Chesson, in his conversation with Holland at
approximately 4:30 a.m., mentioned that Chesson would have to be
present in any meeting between Holland and his wife, but "I told
him that if he were meeting with an attorney, I would not be
able to do so, I would have to leave them alone...." Despite
this further mention to Holland of the availability of an
attorney (and the availability of additional privacy if an
attorney were present), Holland at no time during these
conversations requested an attorney.
Mrs. Holland appeared at
approximately 8:00 a.m. and met with her husband for
approximately twenty-five minutes. At no time did Holland
suggest that they obtain an attorney. After Mrs. Holland left,
Chesson sat down to talk with Holland again. "I asked Mr.
Holland if he wanted to talk to me." And his acknowledgement was,
"What do you want to know?" Then Holland proceeded to confess
the crime to Chesson.
The state trial court made
detailed findings regarding the voluntariness and admissibility
of the confession. The court concluded that prior to making the
confession, Holland was warned of his rights as required by
Miranda and that he "did then knowingly waive his right to an
attorney and did then freely and voluntarily without being
induced by any compulsion, threats, promises, or persuasion,
made an oral confession...." The court specifically found that
the interview with Chesson, which constituted the confession, "was
initiated entirely by Defendant." The court noted that Holland
had received three separate Miranda warnings, never invoked his
right to counsel, and gave the oral confession "freely and
voluntarily." The court found that "the confession was entirely
voluntary and was not coerced or enticed" and that it was given
"pursuant to his knowing and intelligent waiver of all rights
guaranteed by Miranda."
The state record is adequate
to support the trial court's finding that, as required by
Michigan v. Mosley, 423 U.S. 96, 104, 96 S.Ct. 321, 326, 46 L.Ed.2d
313 (1975), Holland's "right to cut off questioning" was "scrupulously
honored." Accordingly, no constitutional violation has been
shown in regard to the confession, and this issue is without
merit.
VII.
In the final section of its
well-reasoned opinion analyzing the fifteen points raised at the
last minute by Holland on appeal, the district court expressed
its frustration with the timing of the habeas petition presented
to it. Quite properly, the court explained its view as follows:
The Court has examined all of
the pleadings and motions which were filed by the petitioner on
December 12, 1991, including approximately 2,400 pages of
testimony which was delivered to the Court on the 16th day of
December, 1991.
Specific attention is called
to the case of Walter Bell, Jr. Petitioner-Appellant, v. James
A. Lynaugh, Director, Texas' Department of Corrections,
Respondent-Appellee, dated October 13, 1988--an opinion written
by Circuit Judge Jones.
The Court at page 338 stated:
"This Court has recently
reiterated its frustration with a petition that is filed only
one week prior to the scheduled execution, Bridge v. Lynaugh,
856 F.2d 712, (5th Cir.1988) (ellipsis in original)."
In Woodard v. Hutchins, 464
U.S. 377-378, 104 S.Ct. 752, 78 L.Ed.2d 541 (1984) appears the
following pronouncement:
"A pattern seems to be
developing in capital cases of multiple review in which claims
that could have been presented years ago are brought forward--often
in a piece meal fashion--only after the execution date is set or
becomes imminent. Federal courts should not continue to tolerate--even
in capital cases--this type of abuse of the writ of habeas
corpus."
As this Court views this
petition, it fits exactly within the purview of the rules stated
by the Fifth Circuit in Bell v. Lynaugh [858 F.2d 978 (1988) ],
supra, and Woodard v. Hutchins, supra.
I agree with the sentiments
expressed by the able district court in this regard. Although
the Court of Criminal Appeals issued its decision on October 16,
1991, the attorney for the petitioner waited almost two months--until
December 11, 1991--to file Holland's habeas petition. That
document was 103 pages long, plus exhibits, and was accompanied
by a twenty-one-page motion for stay of execution and for
evidentiary hearing. There is no excuse for this sort of delay
when a person's life hangs in the balance.
The habeas petition raised
fifteen separate points, all of which are, as the district court
found, without merit, and most of which are entirely vapid and,
in several cases, frivolous. Presumably, counsel could have
concentrated on one or two meritorious issues and filed a much
more timely and succinct habeas petition. Instead, the habeas
petition, filed less than a week before the scheduled execution
date, informed the court that "Resolving these claims will
require a thorough review of nearly one thousand pages of
transcript at trial and documentary records at state post-conviction.
[ ] Despite the seriousness and complexity of this matter, the
case comes to the Court only days before Mr. Holland's scheduled
execution."
The federal district court did
a prompt and able job of reviewing the voluminous record and
producing a comprehensive twenty-four-page opinion. While the
case was under submission to the district court, the petitioner
filed, on December 16, 1991, a forty-seven-page supplemental
motion for stay of execution and evidentiary hearing responding
to the state's reply that had been filed one day earlier. This
demonstrates that the petitioner's attorneys have no difficulty
turning out large volumes of work on short notice, when it is
perceived to be to petitioner's benefit to file matters promptly.
Indeed, within approximately
four hours of the issuance of the district court's opinion,
petitioner's attorney, assisted by the Texas Resource Center,
filed the instant twenty-nine-page motion for stay and
application for certificate of probable cause to appeal.
Remarkably, petitioner's attorneys blamed the lateness of the
hour on the courts and the state. The statements in the petition
are astonishing and seek to absolve petitioner and his counsel
of any responsibility for the last-minute filings. For example,
the petition contains the following statements:
Mr. Holland's post-conviction proceedings
have been characterized by a complete lack of careful
consideration or review.... Since that time, the treatment of
Mr. Holland's issues has been swift and wholly inadequate....
The very first moment that the district court could have
considered the arguments of both parties was approximately 4:00
p.m. on Sunday, December 15, 1991, when the respondent filed its
answer.... Instead, in less than 24 hours, the district court
took the pleadings filed and dismissed the petition.
The district court has held
Mr. Holland's petition, without providing for an evidentiary
hearing or argument and without acting on his Motion for Stay of
Execution, until today, December 17, 1991, at 11:00 a.m., only
13 hours before Mr. Holland's scheduled execution. Counsel for
Mr. Holland has therefore been required to file these Appellate
pleadings without time to adequately read, digest, or respond to
the District Court's Order.
Likewise, this Court is now
faced with a death penalty case with a voluminous record only a
few hours before the Respondent/Appellee puts Mr. Holland to
death. This Court should not rush Mr. Holland to his death
without considered and adequate review of his claims, for the
first time, because of the arbitrary limit set by his execution
date. Nor should this Court rush him to his death because of the
District Court's eleventh hour actions.
... [Barefoot v. Estelle, 463
U.S. 880, 103 S.Ct. 3383, 77 L.Ed.2d 1090 (1983),] implicates
the right to appellate review, and imposes an obligation on the
federal courts to "give careful attention" in the first instance
to all non-frivolous constitutional claims.... Mr. Holland has
made such a showing, and Barefoot thus demands that this Court
grant a stay of execution in order to allow itself a sufficient
opportunity to consider and determine the constitutionality of
Mr. Holland's sentence before permitting the respondent to put
him to death.
It is obvious that fuller
attention could have been given to this case, both by the
district court and by the court of appeals, if the petition had
been filed promptly rather than at what amounts to the eleventh
hour. It is indeed amazing, but unfortunately all too common,
that these matters are filed at the last minute with, as here, a
plea that a stay is necessary in order for the court to give
full and adequate consideration to the claims. The internal
inconsistency in such an approach by habeas petitioners and
their counsel is self-evident.
I have the greatest respect
for my well-intentioned and more senior colleagues who
constitute the majority of this panel and for their decision to
issue a stay in this matter. Under the facts of this case,
however, I must conclude that the prerequisites for granting a
stay have not been established and that the petitioner's issues
are wholly without merit. Under these circumstances, I
respectfully dissent.
Certainly there is precedent in this
circuit for a panel's deciding a capital case while another
case, raising arguably related issues, is pending on
rehearing en banc. See Selvage v. Lynaugh, 842 F.2d 89, 91
(5th Cir.1988), vacated on other grounds, 494 U.S. 108, 110
S.Ct. 974, 108 L.Ed.2d 93 (1990)
David Lee HOLLAND, Petitioner-Appellant, v.
James A. COLLINS, Director, Texas Department of Criminal
Justice, Institutional Division, Respondent-Appellee.
No. 91-5093.
United States Court of Appeals,
Fifth Circuit.
May 22, 1992.
Appeal from the United States
District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.
Before POLITZ, Chief Judge, KING
and SMITH, Circuit Judges.
JERRY E. SMITH, Circuit Judge:
I.
Holland was convicted for the
capital murder, on July 16, 1985, of two bank employees in the
course of committing and attempting to commit bank robbery. The
facts and earlier procedural history of the case are set forth
in the comprehensive opinion of the Texas Court of Criminal
Appeals. See Holland v. State, 761 S.W.2d 307 (Tex.Crim.App.1988),
cert. denied, 489 U.S. 1091, 109 S.Ct. 1560, 103 L.Ed.2d 863
(1989). Holland filed a state habeas petition with the court of
criminal appeals, which denied all relief. See Ex parte Holland,
No. 70,970 (Tex.Crim.App. Oct. 16, 1991). Holland filed his
first federal habeas petition on December 11, 1991.
In a lengthy memorandum and
order, the district court on December 17, 1991, denied Holland's
motion for stay of execution, dismissed his habeas petition, and
denied CPC. Also on December 17, Holland filed a motion for stay
of execution and application for CPC with this court. That same
day the panel majority, without taking action on the application
for CPC, granted the stay. Holland v. Collins, 950 F.2d 169 (5th
Cir.1991) (per curiam).
In his application for CPC,
Holland presents two issues. First, he asserts that mitigating
evidence of his positive character traits required an additional
instruction to the jury under Penry v. Lynaugh, 492 U.S. 302,
109 S.Ct. 2934, 106 L.Ed.2d 256 (1989). Second, he contends that
a confession was obtained from him in violation of, inter alia,
Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694
(1966).
II.
A.
Holland presented evidence of
positive character traits, including a good work history,
honesty, and courtesy. Other evidence indicated that he was
remorseful for the murder of which he was convicted. Holland's
attorney requested that additional instructions be given to the
jury in order to cure what Holland claims is a constitutional
defect in the Texas capital sentencing statute, Tex.Code Crim.P.
art. 37.071,1
as it existed at the time of his conviction.
Specifically, Holland claims
that without such instructions, the jury was unable to give full
effect to Holland's mitigating evidence, as the evidence had
value for Holland outside the second special issue regarding
future dangerousness. Thus, Holland argues that a "rational
juror could have concluded that, even if likely to be dangerous
in the future, David Holland nevertheless deserved to live
because of his long productive life of good deeds, loving family
and caring and respectful friends."
Holland also claims that the
failure to define certain terms in the second punishment
question rendered such mitigating evidence irrelevant. That is,
he asserts that, without some standard to guide the jury's
deliberations, the standard of proof for "future dangerousness"
is so uncertain that a small amount of evidence will support an
affirmative answer to the second jury interrogatory and that
such evidence is not subject to being offset by mitigating
evidence.
As the state notes, however,
all that is required is that the jury be permitted to consider
the mitigating evidence and give it effect. As we stated in
Graham, where the major thrust of a defendant's mitigating
evidence can be considered by the jury, there is no need for
additional jury instructions. Graham, 950 F.2d at 1026-30. "That
is particularly appropriate in a case such as this, where there
is no 'major thrust' of any of the mitigating evidence which is
not relevant to support a negative answer to the second special
issue...." Id. at 1027.
The mitigating evidence
presented by Holland is the same type of evidence that we
determined in Graham to be sufficiently cognizable in the jury's
consideration of the second jury interrogatory. As in Graham,
Holland's evidence of positive attributes would have indicated
to the jury that the crime was aberrational and that he would
not be a continuing threat to society. As we observed in Graham,
this sort of evidence is different in kind
from that involved in Penry, as its relevance to each of the
special issues, and particularly the second, is entirely in the
direction of a negative answer, and it has no tendency to reduce
culpability for the particular crime charged in any way not
encompassed within one or more of the special issues. Unlike
Penry type disability evidence, which can reduce culpability
where it is inferred that the crime is attributable to the
disability while other similar offenders have no such "excuse,"
good character evidence provides no variety of "excuse." Further,
absent some unusual indication of an essentially permanent
adverse change in character (e.g., brain damage), to the extent
that the testimony is convincing that the defendant's general
character is indeed good it will also, to essentially the same
extent, be convincing that he will not continue to be a threat
to society.
Id. at 1033.
Important to the Graham
analysis is that no additional jury instruction is required "where
no major mitigating thrust of the evidence is substantially
beyond the scope of all the special issues." Id. at 1027. Thus,
the jury was able adequately to consider Holland's mitigating
evidence under the second special issue even if, arguably, such
evidence had some mitigating relevance beyond the scope of the
Texas special issues. Similarly, we noted in Graham that
it appears to us that the principal
mitigating thrust of all this evidence is to suggest that the [murder
was] aberrational and atypical of Graham's true character and
that he thus had potential for rehabilitation and would not be a
continuing threat to society. As such, the mitigating force of
this evidence can adequately be given effect under the second
special issue.
Id. at 1032.
B.
The above-discussed evidence
is all the evidence that, prior to Graham, Holland claimed was
mitigating. Now, in a post-Graham brief requested by the court,
he asserts, as mitigating evidence, the fact that he arguably
suffers from antisocial personality disorder (APD). At the
punishment phase, the state sought to establish that Holland
suffers from APD and used it to support an affirmative answer to
the issue on future dangerousness. Holland, on the other hand,
argued to the jury that he did not suffer at all from APD.
Because of this diametric
reversal of position, Holland is raising an argument for the
first time on appeal, a tactic condemned by, e.g., Buxton v.
Lynaugh, 879 F.2d 140, 148 (5th Cir.1989), cert. denied, ---
U.S. ----, 110 S.Ct. 3295, 111 L.Ed.2d 803 (1990). Particularly
in view of the fact that, prior to the filing of this latest
brief, Holland always has contended that the diagnosis of APD
was erroneous, he cannot, in the light of an unfavorable
decision in Graham, now make an about-face and attempt, for the
first time on appeal,2
to present APD as mitigating evidence of the sort that is
cognizable under Penry.
III.
As the only other issue
presented in his application for CPC, Holland argues that the
state secured a confession from him in the absence of a valid
waiver of his right to remain silent. We find this issue to be
without merit and adopt the explanation set forth in part VI of
the dissenting opinion to the panel majority's order granting
stay. See Holland v. Collins, 950 F.2d at 172-73 (Smith, J.,
dissenting).
IV.
In light of Graham, Holland
has failed to make a "substantial showing of the denial of a
federal right." Barefoot v. Estelle, 463 U.S. 880, 893, 103 S.Ct.
3383, 3394, 77 L.Ed.2d 1090 (1983). He has not "demonstrate[d]
that the issues are subject to debate among jurists of reason;
that a court could resolve the issues in a different manner; or
that the questions are worthy of encouragement to proceed
further." Byrne v. Butler, 845 F.2d 501, 505 (5th Cir.1988) (citing
Barefoot, 463 U.S. at 893 n. 4, 103 S.Ct. at 3394 n. 4).
Accordingly, his application for CPC must be, and is hereby,
DENIED. The stay of execution previously entered by this court
is hereby VACATED.
On conclusion of the presentation of the
evidence, the court shall submit the following issues to the
jury:
(1) whether the conduct of the defendant
that caused the death of the deceased was committed
deliberately and with the reasonable expectation that the
death of the deceased or another would result; [and]
(2) whether there is a probability that
the defendant would commit criminal acts of violence that
would constitute a continuing threat to society....
Holland did not even raise the issue
regarding APD in his application for CPC but, instead,
waited until his execution had been stayed and he had been
given an opportunity to file a post-Graham brief