Court Opinion

ID: 9569833
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 20:17:57.897551+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:04:09.105477
License: Public Domain

LANE, Presiding Judge,
concurring in result.
While I agree with most of the majority’s opinion, I take exception to the suggestion that 22 O.S.1981, § 926 applies to a murder in the first degree case where the death penalty is requested. In my opinion, 21 O.S.1981, § 701.10 is the applicable statute controlling juries fixing punishment in death cases. It provides:
A. Upon conviction or adjudication of guilt of a defendant of murder in the first degree, the court shall conduct a separate sentencing proceeding to determine whether the defendant should be sentenced to death, life imprisonment without parole or life imprisonment. The proceeding shall be conducted by the trial judge before the same trial jury as soon as practicable without presentence investigation. (Emphasis added).
I believe that this statute eliminates the written request for jury sentencing required by Section 926.