Opinion ID: 1281427
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Opportunity to Address the Sentencing Court

Text: Hardison asserts that he was denied an opportunity to address the sentencing court. Specifically, relying on NRS 176.015(2), [2] he claims that the trial court had an affirmative duty to advise him of the possibility of giving an unsworn statement to the jury. However, NRS 176.015(2) is inapplicable to the instant case because a more specific statute, NRS 175.552, deals with the procedure for determining the appropriate punishment in a first degree murder case. See LaPena v. State, 96 Nev. 43, 47, 604 P.2d 811, 813 (1980) (a specific statute dealing with the subject at issue prevails over a general statute). That is, once the jury found Hardison guilty of first degree murder, the trial court had no choice but to hold a separate penalty phase wherein, pursuant to NRS 175.552, evidence may be presented concerning aggravating and mitigating circumstances relative to the offense, defendant or victim and on any other matter which the court deems relevant to sentence.... Under the procedures provided by NRS 175.552, Hardison was given every opportunity to present any information in mitigation of his punishment. Indeed, our review of the record persuades us that Hardison was afforded all the protections to which NRS 175.552 entitles him. [3] Relying again on NRS 176.015(2), Hardison additionally asserts that he should have been given opportunity to address the court at the time the sentence of death was formally imposed. However, after a jury has assessed a penalty of death, the judge has no discretion and must enter judgment according to the verdict of the jury. See NRS 175.552; NRS 175.554; NRS 176.445. Thus, a statement by Hardison in his own behalf would serve no function. We reemphasize that, because the specific statutes dealing with the imposition of punishment in a first degree murder case override the general statutes dealing with punishment, the requirement of NRS 176.015 is not applicable to hearings where the death penalty is formally imposed.