Document: 456 U.S. 605 102 S.Ct. 2049 72 L.Ed.2d 367 Joseph S. HOPPER, Commissioner, Alabama Department of Corrections and James D. White, Warden, Petitionersv.John Louis EVANS, III. No. 80-1714. Argued March 24, 1982. Decided May Syllabus Respondent was convicted in an state court the capital offense intentional killing during a robbery, sentenced to death. At time respondent's trial, statute precluded jury instructions on lesser included offenses cases. The conviction sentence were affirmed automatic appeal. Subsequently, habeas corpus proceedings brought Federal District Court seeking have set aside ground, inter alia, that respondent had been under unconstitutionally consideration offenses. denied relief. Pending appeal, precluding cases invalidated Beck v. Alabama, 447 625, 100 2382, 65 392. Appeals then reversed Court, concluding meant preclusion clause so "infected" trial he must be retried might opportunity introduce evidence some offense. Held : did not prejudice any way, is entitled new where his own negates possibility instruction warranted. misread which held due process requires given only when warrants such instruction. Here, supported claim intended kill victim but affirmatively negated intend victim. Accordingly, unintentional Pp. 2052-2054. 628 F.2d 400 639 221, reversed. Edward E. Carnes, Montgomery, Ala., for petitioners. John L. Carroll, respondent. Chief Justice BURGER delivered opinion Court. 1 We granted certiorari determine whether, after invalidation law cases, required case defendant's 2 * A. 3 Shortly released parole from Indiana prison 1976, Wayne Ritter, who fellow inmate, embarked what himself described as cross-country crime "spree." App. 9. According testimony, they committed about 30 armed robberies, 9 kidnapings, extortion schemes seven different States 2-month period. testified January 5, 1977, Ritter entered pawnshop Mobile, intending rob it. asked owner, Nassar, show him gun. When Nassar handed gun pulled announced him. dropped hands knees crawled toward office. shot back, Nassar's two daughters, aged nine, at murder. 4 captured by Bureau Investigation Little Rock, Ark., 7, 1977. A gun, identified ballistics tests weapon used found their motel room showed car. After being fully advised constitutional rights, signed detailed written confession 8, admitting back. He repeated elaborated before grand Mobile April 4, told person ever killed, felt no remorse because murder, would again similar circumstances, return life if freed. Since doubted freed, wanted executed soon possible. indicted Ala.Code § 13-11-2(a)(2) (1975), makes "[r]obbery or attempts thereof intentionally killed defendant" B 5 Under law, punishment may imposed jury. Prothro State, 370 So.2d 740, 746-747 (Ala.Crim.App.1979). prosecution, therefore, declined accept guilty plea. psychiatrist, appointed court, concluded competent stand trial. tried together. against Investigation, eyewitnesses him, ballistic matching bullet with 6 Against attorneys' advice, behalf. informed it "no intention whatsoever reforming way" released. 38. Release near future appeared unlikely since number crimes result robbery spree. jury: "I rather die electrocution than spend rest my penitentiary. So, I'm asking very sincerely you come back positive verdict State." Ibid. 7 judge instructed could convict merely basis confession, consider all evidence, find State proved its beyond reasonable doubt. Prior this Court's judgment 392 (1980), hearing considering defendant charged guilty. jurors impose death guilty, reduce imprisonment without parole. Id., 639, n. 15, S.Ct., 2390, 15. returned less 15 minutes. 8 findings aggravating circumstances far outweighed mitigating circumstances. subject appeal review. Evans 361 654 (Ala.Crim.App.1977), aff'd, 666 (Ala.1978), cert. denied, 440 930, 99 1267, 59 486 (1979). C Respondent's mother initiated 28 U.S.C. 2254. changed previous attitude desiring execution. His petition Southern challenged grounds, including allegation allege prejudiced penalty statute's clause, instead argued unconstitutional face therefore aside. hearing, subsequently rejected arguments, noting confessed least four times shooting Nassar. Britton, 472 F.Supp. 707, 711-712 10 supra, we guilt offense, permitted noncapital provided verdict. petitioner also involved course murder occurred. contended, however, Instead claimed while attempting tie up victim, 80-year-old man, accomplice unexpectedly struck man. conceded that, case, included, felony except clause. 629-630, 2385-2386. 11 Our stressed faced situation choices take third option finding although grave crime, warrant punishment. believed Beck's testimony. On facts shown Beck, matter process. 637, 2389. 12 In instant Fifth Circuit, purporting rely denial modified, 221 (1981). certiorari, 452 960, 101 3107, 69 970 (1981), now reverse. II 13 our Beck. considered alternatives open constrained unable there which, believed, reasonably led situation, concluded, serious crime. U.S., 642, 2391. Or acquit does think death, even concludes 642-643, 2391-2392. While profit "in every [it] introduce[s] level uncertainty unreliability into factfinding cannot tolerated case." 643, 2392. 14 Appeals, quoting statement opinion, repeatedly words F.2d, 223-224; 401. It "brooding omnipresence" "infect virtually aspect beginning end." important note holding limited question submitted expressly pointed out writ decide whether "when verdict." 627, 2384. Thus, case" "the like other Eighth Amendment decisions past decade, concerned insuring sentencing discretion channelled arbitrary capricious results are avoided. See, e.g., Roberts Louisiana, 428 325, 334, 96 3001, 3006, 49 974 (1976) (plurality opinion); Woodson North Carolina, 280, 303, 2978, 2990, 944 Gregg Georgia, 153, 188, 2909, 2932, 859 (principal Furman 408 238, 313, 92 2726, 2764, 33 346 (1972), (WHITE, J., concurring); id., 309-310, 2762-2763 (STEWART, 398-399, 2808-2809 (BURGER, C. dissenting). Louisiana obverse prior Roberts, second-degree manslaughter, "even [was] scintilla support verdicts." 3006 opinion). Such practice impermissible, plurality invited disregard oaths warranted first-degree inevitably leading results. 335, 3007. analysis thus suggests impermissible absent supporting 16 But jury's fairly evidence. rule should "there theory position." Fulghum 291 Ala. 71, 75, 277 886, 890 (1973). federal "if permit rationally [a defendant] greater." Keeble United States, 412 205, 208, 93 1993, 1995, 36 844 clearly offend standards, reason has advanced why apply 17 uniqueness claims outlined facts, those merit emphasis bear key issue evidentiary From outset, appearance jury, made crystal clear do same thing always choose places avoid people. However, necessary, prepared kill. 19-21. convicted, killed. 18 contends 13-1-70 "homicide . perpetration of, attempt perpetrate, robbery" concedes section lacks intent Brief 26. current curious—even cynical—new version self-defense. testimony was: 19 going shoot reached a—a firearm, yeah. Uh, course, always, know, never hurt anybody, don't to. That's— that's stupidity, know. came down me somebody else, well that's—that's pure instinct. That's self-preservation. fire ; waste ." 20 (emphasis supplied). 21 implies malice nor Of can one killer affirmative, purposeful malice; bears resemblance hired who, bearing ill will simply engages pursuit chosen occupation. blandly—even boldly—proclaims try victims, finds occupational necessity. 22 extraordinary perversion say established felon, engaged admits here. An See Fulghum, supra. 23 Finally, stated, argues, mere existence plausible conceivably made, contradicted trial.* Chapman California, 386 18, 87 824, 828, 705 (1967). 24 Reversed. 25 BRENNAN MARSHALL, concurring part dissenting part. 26 join extent reverses invalidating conviction. adhere view cruel unusual prohibited Fourteenth Amendments. 227, 231, 2971, 2973, (BRENNAN, dissenting); 314, 2765, (1972) (MARSHALL, concurring). Consequently, affirm invalidates upon another make employed tactics—for example, introduced certain requested instructions—but here pleaded

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