Opinion ID: 1059512
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: mental evaluation prior to penalty phase

Text: Prior to the commencing the penalty phase of the trial, Burns moved for an evaluation pursuant to Code § 19.2-300. The circuit court denied the motion on the basis that an evaluation under that section is to guide the trial judge, not the jury. The court advised Burns that he could renew his motion at the proper time. In pertinent part, Code § 19.2-300 provides, that, when any person is convicted for any criminal offense which indicates sexual abnormality, the trial judge ... shall upon application of the attorney for the Commonwealth, the defendant, or counsel for defendant . . . defer sentence until the report of a mental examination conducted as provided in § 19.2-301 of the defendant can be secured to guide the judge in determining what disposition shall be made of the defendant. Although Burns acknowledges that this statute provides for a mental evaluation to guide the judge, he claims that such an evaluation is equally valuable to a jury when it is deciding the sentence for a capital murder conviction. However, his argument overlooks the plain language of the statute. This provision authorizes a mental evaluation for the purpose of guiding the trial judge, not the jury. Furthermore, Burns renewed his motion for an evaluation under Code § 19.2-300 after the jury returned its sentencing verdicts, and the court granted it. Thus, Burns received all that he was entitled to under that statute. Accordingly, we will reject his claim.