Opinion ID: 1881490
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: combined penalty phase and final sentencing hearing.

Text: The trial court held a penalty phase of the trial that combined the truth-in-sentencing hearing, KRS 532.055, with the capital sentencing hearing, KRS 532.025. Appellant's counsel agreed to the combined hearing; thus, Appellant is relegated to a claim of palpable error. RCr 10.26. We have held that when the death penalty is sought, the capital penalty hearing should be conducted prior to the truth-in-sentencing hearing because evidence of parole eligibility is admissible during a truth-in-sentencing hearing, but not during a capital penalty hearing. Francis v. Commonwealth, Ky., 752 S.W.2d 309, 310 (1988); see also Perdue v. Commonwealth, Ky., 916 S.W.2d 148, 164 (1995), cert. denied, 519 U.S. 855, 117 S.Ct. 151, 136 L.Ed.2d 96 (1996). (Of course, even during a capital hearing, the jury is made aware of the possibility of parole by the required instruction on the penalty options of life without the possibility of parole and life without the possibility of parole for twenty-five years.) Perdue, supra , holds that, if a defendant receives the death penalty, such an error constitutes palpable error even when, as here, the defense did not object. Id. However, if the death penalty is not imposed, the error is harmless. Id; Allgeier v. Commonwealth, Ky., 915 S.W.2d 745 (1996); Francis, supra, at 311. In Allgeier, supra , where parole eligibility evidence had been introduced into the penalty phase by way of stipulated agreement, we held that, by agreeing to the stipulation, the defendant waived his claim of error. Id. at 746. Here, there was no jury and the trial judge presumably was aware of parole eligibility guidelines. No doubt, this was the reason Appellant agreed to the combined hearing. There is also no possibility that if the hearing had been held separately the result would have been different; thus no manifest injustice occurred. Jackson v. Commonwealth, Ky.App., 717 S.W.2d 511 (1986).