Opinion ID: 1399654
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: Codefendant's Death Sentence

Text: Epperson argues that the admission of the judgment of a capital conviction and sentence from another county, including the death sentence of a co-defendant, during an improperly combined penalty and truth-in-sentence phase denied him due process and a reliable sentencing. We disagree. The introduction of evidence of the criminal convictions in Letcher County was permissible penalty phase evidence pursuant to KRS 532.025(1)(b). See Templeman v. Commonwealth, 785 S.W.2d 259 (Ky. 1990). There was no error in joining the capital sentencing phase and truth-in-sentencing phase for the other convictions. The language in KRS 532.055(3) requiring separation of these phases was deleted by the legislature as part of the 1998 amendment to that statute. As this Court has previously held, amendments to sentencing laws apply to all cases tried after the effective date of the amendment. Commonwealth v. Reneer, 734 S.W.2d 794 (Ky.1987). Generally, a sentence imposed on a co-defendant is not relevant evidence. See Neal v. Commonwealth, 95 S.W.3d 843 (Ky.2003). Here, reference to Hodge's convictions and sentences in Letcher County was harmless because Epperson was convicted of the same crimes and received an identical sentence.