Opinion ID: 2157125
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Constitutionality of Pennsylvania's Death Penalty Statute

Text: Appellant next claims that the trial court erred in not declaring that the Pennsylvania death penalty statute violates the Federal and the State Constitutions. First, Appellant claims that the trial court erred in failing to declare the Pennsylvania death penalty statute unconstitutional because it mandates a penalty of death where there is at least one aggravating circumstance and no mitigating circumstance. He acknowledges that this Court has already decided this issue, but argues that the law should be changed, as the existing law is unjust. In Commonwealth v. Tilley, 528 Pa. 125, 595 A.2d 575 (1991), this Court reiterated that Appellant's argument had already been specifically rejected by the United States Supreme Court in Blystone v. Pennsylvania, 494 U.S. 299, 110 S.Ct. 1078, 108 L.Ed.2d 255 (1990), and by this Court in previous death penalty cases including Commonwealth v. Peterkin, 511 Pa. 299, 513 A.2d 373 (1986), cert. denied, 479 U.S. 1070, 107 S.Ct. 962, 93 L.Ed.2d 1010 (1987). We are presented with no persuasive argument that these cases were incorrectly decided, and accordingly, no relief is due on this claim. Appellant also argues that the death penalty statute is unconstitutional because the decision to seek the death penalty is within the discretion of the county district attorney and a defendant is not given the right to participate in this decision. We first note that Appellant offers no case law or persuasive argument in support of his unusual claim that a defendant should have the right to participate in this decision. Further, during the penalty phase, a defendant may present evidence in support of any of the mitigating factors outlined in the statute. 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 9711(a)(2). Finally, the Pennsylvania death penalty statute has survived numerous constitutional challenges, see Commonwealth v. DeHart, 512 Pa. 235, 516 A.2d 656 (1986), cert. denied, 483 U.S. 1010, 107 S.Ct. 3241, 97 L.Ed.2d 746 (1987), and in Commonwealth v. Zettlemoyer, supra ., this Court held that the current death penalty statute was acceptable under both the federal and the state Constitutions.