Opinion ID: 1239907
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: violation of skipper

Text: Both Chaffee and Ferrell were prevented from offering expert testimony related to their adaptability to life in prison. At the time, the trial judge's rulings were correct under our decision in Koon. The United States Supreme Court's decision in Skipper , however, has now overruled Koon insofar as it prohibits competent evidence of future adaptability to prison life. State v. Matthews , 291 S.C. 339, 353 S.E. (2d) 444 (1986); State v. Patterson , 290 S.C. 523, 351 S.E. (2d) 853 (1986). Although their cases were final at the time Skipper was decided, Chaffee and Ferrell are entitled to the benefit of the Skipper decision. Truesdale v. Aiken , ___ U.S. ___, 107 S.Ct. 1394, 94 L.Ed. (2d) 539 (1987). Thus, unless the Skipper violations can be found to be harmless, Chaffee and Ferrell are entitled to new sentencing proceedings at which they may present the excluded evidence.