Opinion ID: 1842904
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Unadjudicated Conduct as a Juvenile

Text: Evidence of unadjudicated conduct as a juvenile, although sometimes arguably probative as to the character and propensities of the defendant, presents a greater risk of injecting arbitrary factors into a capital sentencing hearing. We therefore place a more stringent limitation on the prosecutor's use in the case-in-chief of a capital sentencing hearing of evidence of unadjudicated conduct as a juvenile. In addition to limiting the use of evidence of unadjudicated conduct as a juvenile to evidence of those crimes for which the statutory limitation for instituting proceedings against adults has not run and those crimes which would be a felony if committed by an adult, we further limit the use to evidence of those crimes enumerated in La. Ch. Code. arts. 305 and 857. [12]