Opinion ID: 1036479
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Lee’s Ring Claim

Text: Lee’s next argument is that the state trial court’s death sentence, overriding the jury’s recommendation of life without parole, violated Ring v. Arizona, 536 U.S. 584, 132 S. Ct. 2428 (2002). The Supreme Court in Ring concluded that under the Sixth Amendment “[c]apital defendants, no less than noncapital 48 Case: 12-14421 Date Filed: 08/01/2013 Page: 49 of 128 defendants, . . . are entitled to a jury determination of any fact on which the legislature conditions an increase in their maximum punishment.” Id. at 589, 122 S. Ct. at 2432. Lee contends that his death sentence is unconstitutional under Ring because the state trial judge in his case, not the jury: (1) found the specific aggravating fact that authorized the death penalty; and (2) concluded that the aggravating fact outweighed the mitigating circumstances.