Court Opinion

ID: 9561974
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 18:20:02.526563+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:17:09.283701
License: Public Domain

BROUSSARD, J.
 I concur in the plurality opinion of Justice Kaus in all but two matters. First, in my opinion the torture-murder special circumstance falls, not because of incorrect jury instructions, but because the underlying statutory provision violates the Eighth Amendment. (See People v. Davenport (1985) post, 247, 290 [221 Cal.Rptr. 794, 710 P.2d. 861] (cone. opn. of Bird, C. J.), id. at p. 295 (cone. opn. of Broussard, J.).) Second, I would rest reversal of the penalty judgment not only on the “no sympathy” instruction discussed by *115the plurality, but also on the court’s erroneous instruction respecting the Governor’s power to commute a sentence of life imprisonment without possibility of parole. (See People v. Ramos (1984) 37 Cal.3d 136, 153-159 [207 Cal.Rptr. 800, 689 P.2d 430].)