Opinion ID: 1699278
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 17

Heading: The trial court erred when it allowed the introduction of inadmissible evidence concerning a juvenile kidnapping adjudication at the penalty phase and the State's repeated references to the inadmissible evidence introduced an arbitrary factor into the jury's sentencing deliberations.

Text: Defendant contends the trial court erred when it permitted the introduction of inadmissible and unreliable other crimes evidence at the penalty phase. Defendant claims the introduction of inadmissible testimony and the State's closing argument focusing on the inadmissible evidence introduced an arbitrary factor into the sentencing proceedings, requiring reversal of the jury's sentence of death. See State v. Thibodeaux, 98-1673 (La.9/8/99), 750 So.2d 916, 928, cert. denied, 529 U.S. 1112, 120 S.Ct. 1969, 146 L.Ed.2d 800 (2000) (In the context of Rule 28 review, the existence of an arbitrary factor requires this Court to find an error of such magnitude that it undermines confidence in the jury's sentencing verdict....). [28]