Opinion ID: 2416788
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 13

Heading: Sympathy to Defendant as Irrelevant to the Imposition of Sentence

Text: Jones argues that the trial court erred by overruling defense counsel's objection to the state telling the venire that the jury could not consider sympathy for him as a reason to impose a life sentence. Admonition to the jury not to consider sympathy in its punishment determination is not improper. This does not diminish defendant's prerogative to seek mercy from the jury based upon the circumstances of the case. State v. Clemmons, 753 S.W.2d 901, 910 (Mo. banc 1988), cert. denied 488 U.S. 948, 109 S.Ct. 380, 102 L.Ed.2d 369 (1988).