Opinion ID: 1196280
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 26

Heading: Jensen study

Text: Hairston argues that Idaho's death penalty scheme is arbitrary and capricious. He argues that because counties are forced to bear the additional cost of financing death penalty trials, the prosecutors in rich urban areas are more likely to seek the death penalty. Hairston relies upon a study done by Dr. Eric Jensen, a professor of sociology at the University of Idaho who specializes in criminology. Hairston acknowledges that there are many factors to consider, which are not taken into account by Dr. Jensen's study. However, he contends that it is clear that there is an apparent, real disparity between urban and non-urban counties in assessing the death penalty, and that the most probable reason for this disparity is finances. Dr. Jensen's study purports to show that the imposition of the death penalty is higher in urban counties than in primarily rural, non-urban counties. Based upon the U.S. Bureau of Census definition of metropolitan area, Dr. Jensen categorized the counties of Ada, Bannock, Bonneville, Canyon, and Kootenai, as urban counties. The other 39 Idaho counties were categorized as non-urban. Jensen then collected the names of persons sentenced to death in Idaho since 1978 and looked at the proportion of arrests for murder in urban and non-urban counties that resulted in death sentences. He found that the likelihood of a person being sentenced to death in urban counties, based on arrests between 1978 through 1995, was 7.8 percent, and the likelihood of a person who was arrested for murder receiving the death penalty in non-urban counties was 3.5 percent. Dr. Jensen concluded that a person arrested for murder in urban counties was 123% more likely to be sentenced to death than a person arrested for murder in non-urban counties. Dr. Jensen also concluded that a person convicted of murder in urban counties is 56% more likely to be sentenced to death than a person convicted of murder in non-urban counties. Taken at face value, Dr. Jensen's study suggests that death penalties are more likely to be imposed in urban counties than in non-urban counties. It is clear that larger populated more urban counties also have more money. The problem is that the Jensen study is not complete, and does not contain sufficient data to conclude that finances or any other potentially impermissible factors account for the discrepancy between urban and non-urban counties. Doctor Jensen himself concluded: Well, it does appear that in Idaho there is a difference, a disparity in imposition of death sentences via or between what we've called urban and non-urban counties. That I think is fairly clear. The reasons underlying that are far from being decided because the data is not collected or analyzed. But it appears that financial resources available to the counties do play a role in that. (Emphasis added.) At best, Dr. Jensen's study shows a statistical discrepancy between the imposition of the death penalty in urban versus non-urban counties. Standing alone, such a discrepancy does not implicate any constitutional concerns. The United States Supreme Court has observed: The Constitution is not offended by inconsistency in results based on the objective circumstances of the crime. Numerous legitimate factors may influence the outcome of a trial and a defendant's ultimate sentence, even though they may be irrelevant to his actual guilt. If sufficient evidence to link a suspect to a crime cannot be found, he will not be charged. The capability of the responsible law enforcement agency can vary widely. Also, the strength of the available evidence remains a variable throughout the criminal justice process and may influence a prosecutor's decision to offer a plea bargain or to go to trial. Witness availability, credibility, and memory also influence the results of prosecutions. Finally, sentencing in state courts is generally discretionary, so a defendant's ultimate sentence necessarily will vary according to the judgment of the sentencing authority. The foregoing factors necessarily exist in varying degrees throughout our criminal justice system. McCleskey v. Kemp, 481 U.S. 279, 308, 107 S.Ct. 1756, 1775, 95 L.Ed.2d 262, 288 (1987). In order to show that the imposition of the death penalty in Idaho is arbitrary and capricious, there must be some empirical evidence connecting the discrepancy that appears to be shown by Dr. Jensen's study and one or more impermissible factors. We conclude that there is insufficient evidence to draw any conclusions in this case. The district court determined that: Hairston has not shown by a preponderance of the evidence that the decision of whether a prosecutor will seek the death penalty in Idaho rests, in large part, on the finances of the particular county. At most, Jensen's study indicates a discrepancy between the application of the death penalty between urban and non-urban counties and that financial resources play a role in a prosecutor's decision as to whether to seek the death penalty. Jensen admitted that there was a lot that he still has to do before his study is complete. He also indicated to the Court that his study is not done. But the indications are that there is a difference here due to economic issues. There simply is not enough factual data in the professor's study for this Court to conclude that economics is a cause of the alleged disparity between the application of the death penalty between urban and nonurban counties. We do not believe that the district court's conclusion was clearly erroneous.