Opinion ID: 1189026
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Constitutionality of Arkansas Statutes

Text: A. Capital and First-Degree Murder Statutes. At the conclusion of the guilt phase of the trial, the trial court instructed the jury on the elements of capital murder and first-degree murder, which were substantively identical in this case because the underlying felony for both offenses was kidnapping. See Ark.Code Ann. §§ 5-10-101(a)(1), 5-10-102(a)(1). Williams argues this overlap violated due process because it risked arbitrary decisionmaking in a capital case. The state courts summarily rejected this claim. We agree with the district court that the claim is foreclosed by our prior decision in Simpson v. Lockhart, 942 F.2d 493, 496-97 (8th Cir.1991), which we are not at liberty to revisit. B. Death Penalty Statutory Framework. At the penalty phase, the jury was instructed consistently with Ark. Code Ann. § 5-4-603, which provides: (a) The jury shall impose a sentence of death if the jury unanimously returns written findings that: (1) An aggravating circumstance exists beyond a reasonable doubt; (2) Aggravating circumstances outweigh beyond a reasonable doubt any mitigating circumstances found to exist; and (3) Aggravating circumstances justify a sentence of death beyond a reasonable doubt. Williams argues this sentencing regime is facially unconstitutional because it does not permit the jury to give adequate effect to mitigating evidence. The state courts and the district court summarily rejected this contention. The contention is foreclosed by our prior decision in Singleton v. Lockhart, 962 F.2d 1315, 1323 (8th Cir.), cert. denied, 506 U.S. 964, 113 S.Ct. 435, 121 L.Ed.2d 355 (1992). Williams argues that Singleton was abrogated by the Supreme Court's later decisions in Smith v. Texas, 543 U.S. 37, 125 S.Ct. 400, 160 L.Ed.2d 303 (2004), and Tennard v. Dretke, 542 U.S. 274, 124 S.Ct. 2562, 159 L.Ed.2d 384 (2004). We disagree. Those cases involved a mandatory nullification instruction used in applying a different Texas statute. See Smith v. Texas, 543 U.S. at 46-48, 125 S.Ct. 400. In both decisions, the Supreme Court cited favorably to Boyde v. California, 494 U.S. 370, 110 S.Ct. 1190, 108 L.Ed.2d 316 (1990), on which we relied in Singleton.