Opinion ID: 2248921
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 18

Heading: Alleged Errors Regarding Constitutionality of Death Penalty Statute

Text: Defendant's final eight issues for review concern the constitutionality of the Illinois death penalty statute. We have previously addressed the issues raised by the defendant and find here that the defendant has provided no compelling reason for altering our view on the statute's viability. Defendant first asserts that the Illinois death penalty is unconstitutional on the grounds that it does not require pretrial notice of intent to seek the death penalty. This court discussed that issue in People v. King (1986), 109 Ill.2d 514, 94 Ill.Dec. 702, 488 N.E.2d 949, and we see no reason to depart from the decision there. Defendant next asserts error in that the statute allows post-conviction prosecutorial discretion to seek the death penalty. This argument is based on a violation of the eighth amendment to the United States Constitution. This court's decision in People v. Kubat (1983), 94 Ill.2d 437, 69 Ill. Dec. 30, 447 N.E.2d 247, renders that argument ineffective. Next, defendant challenges the statute on the basis it places the risk of nonpersuasion on the defendant at sentencing. This court rejected that argument in People v. Bean (1990), 137 Ill.2d 65, 138-39, 147 Ill. Dec. 891, 560 N.E.2d 258, and we see no reason to reverse that position here. Defendant also contends the statute violates his constitutional rights because it fails to require the prosecution to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that there are no mitigating factors sufficient to preclude the death penalty. This issue was resolved in People v. Crews (1988), 122 Ill.2d 266, 119 Ill.Dec. 308, 522 N.E.2d 1167, and People v. Mahaffey (1989), 128 Ill.2d 388, 132 Ill.Dec. 366, 539 N.E.2d 1172, and we find the defendant's reasons to reconsider these holdings to be unpersuasive. Defendant challenges the information-gathering procedures of the statute and asserts they are ineffective to the point of constitutional violations. We decline, however, to reverse the position stated in People v. Stewart (1984), 105 Ill.2d 22, 85 Ill.Dec. 241, 473 N.E.2d 840. Defendant also challenges the statute due to its failure to provide for proportionality review. This court dealt with that issue in People v. Ashford (1988), 121 Ill.2d 55, 117 Ill.Dec. 171, 520 N.E.2d 332, and again we decline to reverse this court's position on that issue. Defendant's next constitutional challenge asserts that his death sentence should be overturned because the statute does not require or permit the sentencer to determine that death is the appropriate, ultimate penalty when there is no mitigation or when the mitigation does not outweigh the aggravation. This contention was rejected in People v. Johnson (1987), 119 Ill.2d 119, 115 Ill.Dec. 575, 518 N.E.2d 100, and we decline to reverse that prior determination. Defendant's assertion that the statute is unconstitutional because it does not provide a means to ensure that all aggravating factors relied upon by the sentencer are relevant or constitutionally permissible is unpersuasive. He makes no argument and gives no authority for his assertion, and, as this court noted in People v. Perez (1985), 108 Ill.2d 70, 90 Ill.Dec. 932, 483 N.E.2d 250, we will not review such an argument when it is raised in such an improper fashion. The defendant would have us believe that a recent United States Supreme Court decision alters the constitutionality of one of the statutory mitigating factorsno significant history of prior criminal activity as being overly broad and vague. His argument is based upon Maynard v. Cartwright (1988), 486 U.S. 356, 108 S.Ct. 1853, 100 L.Ed.2d 372. However, Maynard is inapposite, since it examined the effect of a statutory aggravating factor, rather than a statutory mitigating factor. Furthermore, this issue was not properly preserved for review, and so we deem any argument made by the defendant waived. For the reasons set forth above, we affirm the defendant's convictions and sentence of death. The clerk of this court is directed to enter an order setting Tuesday, September 29, 1992, as the date on which the sentence of death entered by the circuit court is to be executed. The defendant shall be executed in the manner provided by law (Ill.Rev.Stat.1987, ch. 38, par. 119-5). A certified copy of the mandate in this case shall be delivered by the clerk of this court to the Director of Corrections, to the warden of Stateville Correctional Center, and to the warden of the institution wherein defendant is confined. Affirmed. BILANDIC and FREEMAN, JJ., took no part in the consideration or decision of this case.