Opinion ID: 1060912
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Appellant's Right to Life

Text: The appellant claims that the imposition of the death penalty in this case violates substantive due process and equal protection principles. The appellant contends that the State has no compelling interest in executing the appellant because it offered the appellant a life sentence in exchange for a guilty plea. [26] The Tennessee Supreme Court has consistently found that the death penalty is constitutional and does not impermissibly infringe upon the right to life. See, e.g., Smith, 893 S.W.2d at 926; Cazes, 875 S.W.2d at 253; Smith, 857 S.W.2d at 1; Black, 815 S.W.2d at 166; State v. Boyd, 797 S.W.2d 589 (Tenn. 1990), cert. denied, 498 U.S. 1074, 111 S.Ct. 800, 112 L.Ed.2d 861 (1991); State v. Teel, 793 S.W.2d 236 (Tenn. 1990); Thompson, 768 S.W.2d at 239. This issue is without merit.