Opinion ID: 1057594
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 30

Heading: Constitutionality of Death Penalty on Its Face

Text: The Defendant argues that the Tennessee death penalty statute is unconstitutional on its face. Specifically, the Defendant alleges that the statute: (1) does not properly guide a jury about the standards of proof when considering whether the aggravating circumstances outweigh the mitigation evidence; (2) permits the jury to give too little weight to non-statutory mitigating factors; (3) does not inform the jury of its right to impose mercy; (4) does not require the jury to actually determine that death is appropriate but rather calls for the foreperson to list aggravating and mitigating circumstances; (5) fails to inform the jury about what happens if it does not reach a unanimous verdict; (6) requires the jury to impose death if the aggravating circumstances outweigh the mitigating circumstances; and (7) allows for the introduction of relatively unreliable evidence for aggravated circumstances and for rebuttal to mitigation evidence. Also, the Defendant argues that he was prejudiced because the State presented the final closing argument and that the death penalty was imposed discriminately on the basis of his race, sex, geographic region, and economic and political status. The State argues that Tennessee courts have already reviewed and rejected these claims. The State correctly asserts that these arguments have already been made and rejected as grounds of relief. State v. Bush, 942 S.W.2d 489, 524 (Tenn.1997) (citations omitted). This Court defers to, and is bound by, the rulings of the Tennessee Supreme Court. As such, the Defendant is not entitled to relief on these issues.