Opinion ID: 1247774
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Constitutionality of 1977 Statute.

Text: (31) Defendant asks that we reconsider the decisions in People v. Frierson, supra, 25 Cal.3d 142 and People v. Jackson, supra, 28 Cal.3d 264, which upheld the general constitutionality of the 1977 death penalty law. First, he urges reconsideration of our determination that proof beyond a reasonable doubt of the appropriateness of death is not constitutionally required. ( Frierson, supra, 25 Cal.3d at p. 180; Jackson, supra, 28 Cal.3d at pp. 315-317; see also People v. Rodriguez, supra, 42 Cal.3d at pp. 777-779 [1978 law].) He maintains that because far less valued interests are protected by the beyond-a-reasonable-doubt standard (e.g., In re Winship (1970) 397 U.S. 358 [25 L.Ed.2d 368, 90 S.Ct. 1068] [adjudication of juvenile delinquency]; People v. Feagley (1975) 14 Cal.3d 338 [121 Cal. Rptr. 509, 535 P.2d 373] [adjudication of mentally disordered sex offender status]; People v. Burnick (1975) 14 Cal.3d 306 [121 Cal. Rptr. 488, 535 P.2d 352] [same]), it violates equal protection to execute individuals when there is a reasonable doubt as to the appropriateness of death. Defendant's attempted analogy to fact-finding proceedings is inapt. At the penalty phase of a capital trial the defendant has already been proven guilty of a capital offense beyond a reasonable doubt. [T]he sentencing function is inherently moral and normative, not factual; the sentencer's power and discretion under both the 1978 and 1977 provisions is to decide the appropriate penalty for the particular offense and offender under all the relevant circumstances. ( People v. Rodriguez, supra, 42 Cal.3d at p. 779; cf. People v. Bandhauer, supra, 66 Cal.2d at pp. 530-531.) The statute's failure to impose a beyond-a-reasonable-doubt standard on the decision regarding the appropriateness of death is not violative of equal protection. [16] Second, defendant asserts the 1977 statute violates the cruel and unusual punishment and due process clauses of the state and federal Constitutions. (Cal. Const., art. I, §§ 7, 15, 17; U.S. Const., 8th and 14th Amends.) We resolved these issues adversely to defendant in People v. Frierson, supra, 25 Cal.3d 142 and People v. Jackson, supra, 28 Cal.3d 264. We adhere to those decisions here.