Opinion ID: 1904134
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: HUFFINGTON v. STATE

Text: Submitted to MURPHY, C.J., and SMITH, ELDRIDGE, COLE, RODOWSKY, COUCH and McAULIFFE, JJ. ELDRIDGE, Judge. In Foster v. State, 304 Md. 439, 499 A.2d 1236 (1985), Evans v. State, 304 Md. 487, 499 A.2d 1261 (1985), and Huffington v. State, 304 Md. 559, 500 A.2d 272 (1985), this Court affirmed the judgments in these three capital cases, thereby upholding the imposition of death sentences upon the three defendants. The defendants Foster, Evans and Huffington, all represented by the Office of Public Defender, have now filed motions for reconsideration. The chief argument in each motion is identical, and it relates to the contention that had been made and rejected in all three cases that the Maryland capital punishment statute, in § 413(h) of Art. 27, unconstitutionally places the burden of persuasion on the defendant with regard to the weighing of aggravating and mitigating circumstances. In addition, related arguments concerning the trial courts' jury instructions are made in each motion. Finally, the defendant Evans makes an unrelated contention. Because the principal thrust of each motion is the same, we have chosen to rule upon the three motions in a single opinion.