Court Opinion

ID: 9717964
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 07:13:42.123486+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:23:56.452346
License: Public Domain

SHEPARD, Chief Justice,
concurring in all but part 10. i
Justice Dickson's opinion is a superb piece of work, and I join in just about all of it, as I join in the disposition.
I part company, however, on the declaration that the Indiana Bill of Rights prohibits Reverend Radeliff's widow from saying a few words about the impact of Bivins' crime. I think Mrs. Radeliffs testimony was altogether pertinent to the decision Judge Milligan was about to make, and I think we ought to interpret the Indiana Constitution in a way which gives Mrs. Radcliff and others like her the chance to be heard.
I expect that the people of Indiana will be amazed to learn that Justices of their Supreme Court have declared victims constitutionally irrelevant in death penalty cases.