Opinion ID: 1271655
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Small Number Of Death Sentences Imposed Since State v. Waddell, Supra, Shows The Death Penalty Is Imposed Arbitrarily.

Text: Having first contended that too many have been sentenced to death since State v. Waddell, supra, the amicus curiae here contends that the number is too small. State v. Waddell, supra, held the death penalty could be imposed under G.S. § 14-17 (murder), G.S. § 14-21 (rape), G.S. § 14-52 (first degree burglary), or G.S. § 14-58 (arson) only for offenses committed after 18 January 1973. There is, unavoidably, some time lag between the commission of an offense and the trial and sentencing of the offender. As of 14 January 1974, virtually one complete year since our decision in State v. Waddell, supra, twenty-one persons, including the present appellant, have been sentenced to death in North Carolina for crimes committed after the decision was announced, three being codefendants charged with the rape of the same victim. The present appellant was the first person so to be sentenced and his is the first appeal from those so sentenced to reach this Court. It has, therefore, not yet been finally determined whether any or all of the remainder were tried and sentenced pursuant to law. Of all the twenty-one, thirteen were convicted of first degree murder only, one (the defendant) was convicted of first degree murder and of rape, five were convicted of rape only, one of first degree burglary only and one of first degree burglary and of rape. We are not advised by the defendant or by the brief of the amicus curiae as to how many individuals were brought to trial in North Carolina during this twelve-month period on capital charges and no statistics on that matter are available to us. Consequently, we do not have before us the number acquitted or the number convicted of lesser, included offenses. If we had such statistical data, it would neither establish nor disprove the contention that the twenty-one sentenced to death were arbitrarily selected. Arbitrary discrimination cannot be shown from statistical data. It requires, at least, careful study of the records in cases where different results were reached in order to determine whether those differences in result were justified by differences in the facts. What we do know is that all defendants convicted of first degree murder or of rape, committed since 18 January 1973, have been sentenced to death. The contention of arbitrariness is, therefore, not established.