Opinion ID: 31939
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: First degree murder is the killing of a human being:

Text: (1) When the offender has specific intent to kill or inflict great bodily harm and is engaged in the perpetration or attempted perpetration of aggravated kidnapping, second degree kidnapping, aggravated escape, aggravated arson, aggravated rape, forcible rape, aggravated burglary, armed robbery, drive-by shooting, first degree robbery, or simple robbery. . . . C. Whoever commits the crime of first degree murder shall be punished by death or life imprisonment at hard labor without the benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence in accordance with the determination of the jury. 3 Louisiana Revised Statute 14:30.1 defines second degree murder as follows: A. Second degree murder is the killing of a human being: (1) When the offender has the specific intent to kill or inflict great bodily harm; . . . B. Whoever commits the crime of second degree murder shall be punished by life imprisonment at hard labor without the benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence. 4 Although Brown was convicted under a superceding bill of indictment, the validity of the bill of indictment was predicated on the initial grand jury indictment State v. Brown, 702 So.2d 744, 761. Accordingly, the State concedes that racial discrimination in the selection of a grand jury foreperson is still a relevant issue. 5 Because of this strong evidence against Brown, we also agree with the state court's determination that the State would have simply reindicted Brown if the superceding bill of indictment were quashed