Opinion ID: 1399654
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 20

Heading: Closing by Prosecution

Text: Epperson contends that the prosecutor during the penalty phase argument noted that the jury had already found Epperson guilty of first-degree robbery and first-degree burglary during the guilt phase and thus in effect had already determined the factually related aggravating circumstances needed for the death penalty had already been found to be true beyond a reasonable doubt. Epperson admits there was no objection to this argument. The record indicates that during an in-chambers conference regarding the penalty-phase instructions, defense counsel specifically agreed that the aggravating circumstances No. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 had already been found by the jury. This Court has previously held that in light of the guilt-phase findings by the jury such a closing argument is not prejudicial error. Sanders v. Commonwealth, 801 S.W.2d 665 (Ky.1990); see also Bowling v. Parker, 138 F.Supp.2d 821 (E.D.Ky.2001) ( denying habeas corpus for Bowling v. Commonwealth, supra ), affirmed, Bowling v. Parker, 344 F.3d 487 (6th Cir.2003), cert. denied, 543 U.S. 842, 125 S.Ct. 281, 160 L.Ed.2d 68 (2004). There was no prosecutorial error in this instance.