Opinion ID: 1195356
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Alleged Eighth Amendment violation

Text: Defendant has failed to demonstrate that the circumstances under which the penalty phase was conducted violated his right under the Eighth Amendment to a fair and reliable penalty determination. As we have explained: `the required reliability is' attained when the prosecution has discharged its burden of proof at the guilt and penalty phases pursuant to the rules of evidence and within the guidelines of a constitutional death penalty statute, the death verdict has been returned under proper instructions and procedures, and the trier of penalty has duly considered the relevant mitigating evidence, if any, which the defendant has chosen to present. A judgment of death entered in conformity with these rigorous standards does not violate the Eighth Amendment reliability requirements.' ( People v. Clark, supra, 3 Cal.4th at p. 109, 10 Cal.Rptr.2d 554, 833 P.2d 561.) Our consideration of the claims reviewed above demonstrates that defendant has failed to establish any significant violations of proper procedure at the penalty phase of the trial, and the penalty verdict conforms with the standards required by the Eighth Amendment.