Opinion ID: 1058852
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Penalty phase jury instructions and verdict forms

Text: Juniper assigns error to the trial court allowing instructions and verdict forms in the penalty phase regarding future dangerousness when the predicates were not proven and that unanimity is required to prove an aggravating factor for death. On brief, Juniper argues only that the trial court was wrong in refusing Instruction D-P8. [11] The Commonwealth contends that Juniper waived the argument regarding instruction D-P8 because the record does not indicate that Juniper ever submitted the instruction to the trial court, nor does Juniper mention the instruction during his arguments and objections regarding other refused jury instructions. The record supports the Commonwealth's claims. The only mention of instruction D-P8 in the record appears in the text of the instruction and Juniper's Memorandum in Support of Instruction No. D-P8, which is dated January 13, 2005. Because the record does not show that the trial court ruled on Instruction D-P8 or that Juniper requested a ruling or objected to a ruling made, even if the assignment of error had corresponded to Juniper's arguments regarding Instruction No. D-P8, this Court would not consider the merits of the claim. See Lenz, 261 Va. at 463, 544 S.E.2d at 306.