Opinion ID: 1868959
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Mandatory Life Sentence

Text: Daniels next contends that, by instructing the jury during the sentencing phase that Daniels was to receive an automatic life sentence for his aggravated robbery conviction, the circuit court strayed from the both the Arkansas Model Jury Instructions and the sentencing procedure outlined by Arkansas statutory law. By so doing, Daniels argues, the circuit court prejudiced the jury in favor of the death penalty. He maintains that, knowing that Daniels was to receive a life sentence for aggravated robbery, the jury was more likely to believe that he should receive a greater sentence for capital murder. He adds that the jury probably thought that if they voted to impose a life sentence for the capital-murder conviction, Daniels would receive no additional punishment for killing Williams. Because we reverse the aggravated-robbery conviction on other grounds as well as the death sentence and because we do not conclude that this issue is likely to recur on retrial, we do not address it. The same holds true for Daniels's points concerning the prosecutor's comments during voir dire related to mental retardation, the prosecutor's closing argument during the sentencing phase when he referred to Williams plead[ing] for his life laying on the floor with his hands together, and the prosecutor's closing argument following the guilt phase when he asked the jury, What are you as a representative of society going to do about it? We need not address these arguments as the same circumstances are not likely to recur on retrial.