Opinion ID: 1520503
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 28

Heading: instructions at sentencing

Text: Calhoun claims: (1) The trial court failed at sentencing to instruct the jury about its option to impose life notwithstanding its finding that aggravating circumstances outweighed the mitigating circumstances; (2) it failed to charge the jury that it must find beyond a reasonable doubt that death is appropriate under all the circumstances before that sentence is imposed; (3) that it did not adequately describe to the jury the function of mitigating circumstances in the sentencing deliberations and what a mitigating circumstance is; and (4) that the trial court by charging the jury that they could consider whether or not Mr. Calhoun would be sentenced to life without parole under Article 27, Section 643(b), invited them to speculate on the issue of parole.