Opinion ID: 2508855
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 19

Heading: Penalty Phase Prejudice from Guilt Phase Errors

Text: Defendant, referencing nine claims of error he has made regarding the conduct of the trial on guilt and special circumstances, contends that even if those asserted errors do not justify complete reversal of the judgment, they were prejudicial at the penalty phase, especially on the question of lingering doubt, and unconstitutionally affected the reliability of the penalty verdict, assertedly in violation of the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments to the federal Constitution. We have not, however, upheld any of the specified claims of error, and as to the two specified claims where we have assumed error for purposes of discussion (see pts. X. & XIV., ante ), we have not found prejudice as to guilt or special circumstances. For the same reason, any error in these two respects did not deprive defendant of a reliable penalty decision or prevent him from seeking a life sentence on grounds of lingering doubt as to his guilt.