Opinion ID: 1624316
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 18

Heading: Second Murder as Substantive and Aggravating Factor

Text: The use of another murder as a substantive crime and as an aggravating circumstance does not violate double jeopardy principles. Here, Wheeler was sentenced to death for the death of each of the two victims, aggravated by the fact that he also intentionally killed the other victim. Tamme held that the imposition of two death sentences by the application of the same aggravating factor, the intentional act of killing resulting in multiple deaths, did not violate any double jeopardy principle. Reliance by Wheeler on the cases of Heady v. Commonwealth, Ky., 597 S.W.2d 613 (1980); Boulder v. Commonwealth, Ky., 610 S.W.2d 615 (1980) and Dale v. Commonwealth, Ky., 715 S.W.2d 227 (1986), is misplaced. To the extent they apply, these cases only limited the use of an offense to enhance one punishment and clearly relate to a status and not a crime. Each of these cases have been limited in their application. See Jackson v. Commonwealth, Ky., 650 S.W.2d 250 (1983) and Eary v. Commonwealth, Ky., 659 S.W.2d 198 (1983). There was no constitutional violation and no error occurred.