Opinion ID: 1163403
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 64

Heading: Benjamin Harris

Text: Report of the Trial Judge (Questionnaire No. 29) (Pierce Cy. cause XX-X-XXXXX-X). The murder was a contract killing. The victim was shot. Harris had a prior assault and manslaughter conviction. No mitigating circumstances appear in the report. He was sentenced to death. [4] Of the 13 cases listed above which are similar to Brett's in that the crimes involved a single homicide of an adult, and death was relatively immediate, it cannot be said the death penalty has generally been imposed. This is true even in cases arguably worse than Brett's, insofar as the defendant's history included a prior homicide and no mitigating circumstances were present. Brett has no prior homicide conviction, and he presented significant mitigating evidence. Under these circumstances, Brett's sentence of death must be reversed under RCW 10.95.130(2)(b).