Opinion ID: 2234709
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Death Penalty Selection

Text: Coleman argues that Indiana's death penalty statute is unconstitutional under the eighth amendment because it grants the prosecuting attorney the power to select arbitrarily and capriciously which defendants against whom to seek the death penalty. He argues that [i]n Indiana the only way that death can be an available sentencing alternative is for the prosecution to specifically request it in the indictment or information. For legal authority, Coleman cites a single federal district court opinion, U.S. ex rel. Silagy v. Peters, 713 F. Supp. 1246 (C.D.Ill. 1989). That district court's holding on this issue has been reversed. Silagy v. Peters, 905 F.2d 986 (7th Cir.1990). We have resolved this issue against Coleman's position. Fleenor v. State (1987), Ind., 514 N.E.2d 80, cert. denied, 488 U.S. 872, 109 S.Ct. 189, 102 L.Ed.2d 158 (1988).