Opinion ID: 2639471
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Constitutional Challenges to California's 1978 Death Penalty Law

Text: In People v. Snow (2003) 30 Cal.4th 43, 132 Cal.Rptr.2d 271, 65 P.3d 749 ( Snow ), we again upheld the constitutionality of the 1978 death penalty scheme. And as we said in People v. Clair (1992) 2 Cal.4th 629, 691, 7 Cal.Rptr.2d 564, 828 P.2d 705 ( Clair ): `Having time and again considered [such] claims ... in a series of decisions beginning with People v. Rodriguez (1986) 42 Cal.3d 730, 777-779, 230 Cal.Rptr. 667, 726 P.2d 113, we may summarize the views expressed therein thus: as a general matter at least, the 1978 death penalty law is facially valid under the federal and state charters.... [Defendant raises certain specific constitutional challenges. But he recognizes that in the Rodriguez series of cases, we have rejected each and every one.' [Citation.] We now turn to each of the challenges.