Opinion ID: 215635
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Kemp's Sentencing.

Text: On June 7, 1993, the jury returned verdicts finding Kemp guilty of felony first-degree murder, armed robbery, and kidnaping. The matter proceeded to the sentencing hearing on July 9, 1993. The judge indicated that he had read the presentence report and the memoranda submitted by the parties. The court asked the prosecutor to argue with respect to Kemp's eligibility for the death penalty based on his conviction for felony murder under Enmund v. Florida, 458 U.S. 782, 102 S.Ct. 3368, 73 L.Ed.2d 1140 (1982) and Tison v. Arizona, 481 U.S. 137, 107 S.Ct. 1676, 95 L.Ed.2d 127 (1987). [1] The prosecutor argued that the Enmund/Tison requirements were met by the evidence that (a) Kemp bought the handgun that was used, (b) Kemp made admissions to Detective Salgado concerning Juarez's disappearance, (c) Kemp used Juarez's ATM card, (d) Juarez's body was found only partially clothed, (e) the husband testified that Kemp attempted to sexually assault him, and (f) Kemp admitted to two correctional officers that he killed Juarez. Defense counsel responded that there was a lack of physical evidence to connect Kemp to Juarez and that the prosecutor's case was compromised by statements made by co-defendant Logan, who was completely unbelievable. The trial judge found Kemp eligible for the death penalty under Enmund-Tison for his felony-murder conviction. After considering all the evidence and argument proffered by the parties, including Kemp's statement, [2] the trial judge found that the prosecution had established three aggravating facts beyond a reasonable doubt: (1) Kemp had been previously convicted of a violent felony; (2) Kemp acted for the purpose of pecuniary gain; and (3) the murder was committed in an especially cruel manner. The judge further found that Kemp had failed to show any mitigating factors, and concluded that even if any of his assertions rose to the stature of a mitigating factor, it would not be sufficient to call for leniency. The trial court imposed a sentence of death as prescribed by law for the conviction for murder in the first degree.