Opinion ID: 2541567
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Point Six: Apprendi Violation

Text: Tisius asserts the circuit court erred in sentencing him to death because the information did not charge him with aggravated first-degree murder and failed to plead any aggravating circumstances. These assertions are based upon the premise that the aggravating circumstances were additional elements of first-degree murder punishable by death, and therefore, the State violated Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 484, 120 S.Ct. 2348, 147 L.Ed.2d 435 (2000). Tisius unsuccessfully raised this identical issue in his first appeal. See Tisius I, 92 S.W.3d at 766. Since this claim was raised and rejected in Tisius I, the law of the case doctrine applies. Deck, 303 S.W.3d at 545. The law of the case doctrine governs successive appeals and states that the same issues may not be relitigated in a subsequent appeal. State v. Johnson, 244 S.W.3d 144, 163 (Mo. banc 2008); Laws v. State, 183 S.W.3d 629, 633 (Mo.App. S.D.2006). The previous holding on those issues becomes the law of the case. Tisius previously raised this argument, and he many not raise it again in this appeal. Additionally, this argument has been rejected by this Court in multiple cases. The notice of aggravated circumstances under section 565.005.1 is sufficient to notify a defendant that he or she is charged with a capital offense. See Davis, 318 S.W.3d at 642; Johnson, 284 S.W.3d at 589; State v. Johnson, 207 S.W.3d 24, 48 (Mo. banc 2006); State v. Gill, 167 S.W.3d 184, 194 (Mo. banc 2005); Strong, 142 S.W.3d at 711-12; and State v. Glass, 136 S.W.3d 496, 513 (Mo. banc 2004). The circuit court did not err in declining to quash the information.