Opinion ID: 4541008
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: analysis

Text: At oral argument before this court, Hessler conceded the claims made in his successive motion for postconviction relief are identical to those raised and rejected by this court in Lotter. Hessler further conceded there was no factual distinction between his postconviction claims and those asserted in Lotter, and he pointed to no change in the relevant law since our decision in Lotter. Our decision in Lotter is dispositive of the issues presented in this appeal, and Hessler does not contend otherwise. Hurst did not announce a new rule of law, and thus it cannot trigger the 1-year statute of limitations under § 29-3001(4)(d). Because this is the only triggering event relied upon by Hessler in contending that his postconviction claims are timely, we agree with the district court that Hessler’s postconviction claims are time barred. For the sake of completeness, we note that even if Hessler’s claims were not time barred, they would not entitle him to 15 Mata, supra note 13. 16 Id. - 456 - Nebraska Supreme Court Advance Sheets 305 Nebraska Reports STATE v. HESSLER Cite as 305 Neb. 451 postconviction relief. After oral arguments in this case, the U.S. Supreme Court decided McKinney v. Arizona. 17 McKinney explained: Under Ring and Hurst, a jury must find the aggravating circumstance that makes the defendant death eligible. But importantly, in a capital sentencing proceeding just as in an ordinary sentencing proceeding, a jury (as opposed to a judge) is not constitutionally required to weigh the aggravating and mitigating circumstances or to make the ultimate sentencing decision within the relevant sentencing range. 18 As such, McKinney makes clear there is no merit to the underlying premise of Hessler’s postconviction claims. We thus affirm the district court’s order denying postconviction relief without an evidentiary hearing. Affirmed. Freudenberg, J., not participating. 17 McKinney v. Arizona, ___ U.S. ___, 140 S. Ct. 702, ___ L. Ed. 2d ___ (2020). 18 Id., 140 S. Ct. at 707.