Cite as: 527 U. S. 263 (1999)
Opinion of Souter, J.
while "Shy Guy" and "Blonde Girl" hung back. Id., at 43. "Mountain Man" approached a pickup truck, then "pounded on" the front passenger side window of Whitlock's car, "shook and shook the car door," "banging and banging on the window" while Whitlock checked to see if the door was locked. Ibid. Finally, "he just really shook it hard and you could tell he was mad. Shook it really hard and the door opened and he jumped in . . . and faced her." Id., at 43-44. While Whitlock tried to push him away, "Mountain Man" "motioned for 'Blonde Girl' and 'Shy Guy' to come" and the girl did as she was bidden. She "started to jump into the car," but "jumped back" when Whitlock stepped on the gas. Id., at 44. Then "Mountain Man" started "hitting [Whitlock] on the left shoulder, her right shoulder and then . . . the head," finally "open[ing] the door again" so "the 'Blonde Girl' got in the back and 'Shy Guy' followed and got behind him." Id., at 45. "Shy Guy" passed "Mountain Man" his tan coat, which "Mountain Man" "fiddled with" for "what seemed like a long time," then "sat back up and . . . faced" Whitlock while "the other two in the back seat sat back and relaxed." Ibid. Stoltzfus then claimed that she got out of her car and went over to Whitlock's, whereupon unassertive "Shy Guy" "instinctively jumped, you know, laid over on the seat to hide from me." Id., at 46. Stoltzfus pulled up next to Whitlock's car and repeatedly asked, "[A]re you O.K.[?]," but Whitlock responded only with eye contact; "she didn't smile, there was no expression," and "[j]ust very serious, looked down to her right," suggesting Strickler was holding a weapon on her. Id., at 46, 47. Finally, Whitlock mouthed something, which Stoltzfus demonstrated for the jury and then explained she realized must have been the word, "help." Id., at 47.
Without rejecting the very notion that jurors with discretion in sentencing would be influenced by the relative dominance of one accomplice among others in a shocking crime, I could not regard Stoltzfus's colorful testimony as anything but significant on the matter of sentence. It was Stoltzfus
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