Case Title: Opinion of the Judges

Citation: 161 N.W.2d 706

Docket Number: 

State: south-dakota

Court: South Dakota Supreme Court

Date: 1968-10-03T00:00:00Z

Document:
161 N.W.2d 706 (1968) OPINION OF THE JUDGES. No. 10631. Supreme Court of South Dakota. October 3, 1968. *707 TO HIS EXCELLENCY, NILS A. BOE, GOVERNOR OF SOUTH DAKOTA: In a communication issued under the authority of Article V, § 13, of the South Dakota Constitution, you request the opinions of the judges of this court upon the following question of law involved in the exercise of your executive powers: In response, you are advised that historically capital punishment was in effect in this state from statehood (§ 261, Revised Dakota Territory Codes of 1877; § 6449, compiled Laws of Dakota 1887; and Penal Code, § 253 of the 1903 Revised Codes of South Dakota) until abolished by Chapter 158 of the South Dakota Session Laws of 1915. Capital punishment was reinstated in 1939 by the enactment of Chapter 30 of the 1939 Session Laws (now SDC 1960 Supp. 13.2012). The same session of our legislature enacted companion statutes providing procedure for the enforcement and execution of the death penalty. Chapters 134, 135, 136 and 137 of the 1939 Session Laws (now Chapter 34.37A of the 1960 Supp.). The pertinent sections of Chapter 34.37A, 1960 Supp., are as follows: Article IV, § 5 of the Constitution of South Dakota was amended in 1960 to read as follows: The succeeding session of our legislature effectuated the amendment of § 5, Article IV by enacting Chapter 46 of the Session Laws of 1961, which prescribed and defined the powers and duties of the newly created board of pardons and paroles. In this regard, the same session of the legislature amended SDC 13.5001 by the adoption of Chapter 45 of the 1961 Session Laws, to read as follows: It clearly appears that your power as governor of this state to remit fines and forfeitures, to grant reprieves, commutations, and pardons, is governed and controlled by Article IV of § 5 of the Constitution of South Dakota as amended in 1960. The constitutional restriction on this power is correctly set forth in SDC 13.5001 as amended by Chapter 45 of the 1961 Session Laws. Accordingly, the clemency powers of the governor may be invoked and exercised only upon recommendation in writing by the board of pardons and paroles. It follows that the provisions of SDC 1960 Supp. 34.37A04 purporting to grant the governor independent power to commute a death sentence to life imprisonment, if ever valid (See Art. IV, § 5 before amendment) has been repealed by implication and superseded by the cited subsequent constitutional and statutory provisions.