Court Opinion

ID: 9670740
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 03:24:52.473385+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:16:06.060551
License: Public Domain

BARHAM, Justice
(dissenting).
I dissent from the affirmation of the verdicts and sentences because I believe there is reversible error in the trial proceedings. Moreover, I dissent from the sentence imposed on the defendant Ronald Jones, being of the opinion that the case falls squarely within the views expressed in all five of the concurring opinions fomiing a majority in Furman v. Georgia, 408 U.S. 238, 92 S.Ct. 2726, 33 L.Ed.2d 346 (1972). See also Stewart v. Massachusetts, 408 U.S. 845, 92 S.Ct. 2845, 33 L.Ed.2d 744 (1972). These cases, would require our setting aside the sentence, of Ronald Jones and remanding to the trial court for sentence in conformity with their holding. This procedure we have utilized in cases where the death sentence (though not the conviction) was invalid under Witherspoon v. Illinois, 391 U.S. 510, 88 S.Ct. 1770, 20 L.Ed.2d 776 (1968), and it would, be equally applicable here. See State v. Shaffer, 260 La. 605, 257 So.2d 121 (1971); State v. Duplessis, 260 La. 644, 257 So.2d 135 (1971).