Opinion ID: 1163403
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 45

Heading: Jurisdiction To Impose a Death Sentence.

Text: RCW 10.95.040(2) provides: The notice of special sentencing proceeding shall be filed and served on the defendant or the defendant's attorney within thirty days after the defendant's arraignment upon the charge of aggravated first degree murder.... The defense concedes the State filed a timely notice of intent to seek the death penalty following the filing of the original information. Brett asserts, however, that when the second amended information was filed, the body of the notice only referred to the first amended information. The notice stated: [The prosecuting attorney] does by this give notice that demand is made for a special sentencing proceeding to determine whether or not the defendant, James Leroy Brett, should have imposed upon him a sentence of death as to Count 1 of the Amended Information filed herein.... Clerk's Papers, at 206. Brett argues that because the notice refers to the amended information and he was never arraigned on the first amended information, the notice is invalid and the trial court lacked jurisdiction to impose a death sentence. The notice, however, refers to the Amended Information filed herein . The second amended information was the only amended information filed with the notice. In addition, the prosecuting attorney referred to the second amended information in his accompanying affidavit. An Amended Information was filed with this court on March 27, 1992, and a Second Amended Information was filed on April 26, 1992, Count I of which continues to charge the defendant with the crime of Aggravated Murder in the First Degree ... I continue to have reason to believe ... that there are not sufficient mitigating circumstances in this case to merit leniency. (Italics ours.) Clerk's Papers, at 207-08. The notice of intent to seek the death penalty can only be referring to the second amended information. On April 16, 1992, the day Brett was to be arraigned on the first amended information, the court granted the State's motion to file the second amended information. Brett was arraigned on that information, and the notice to seek the death penalty was filed on that day. The State complied with the requirements of RCW 10.95.040(2).