Court Opinion

ID: 9614110
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 04:22:37.740937+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:54:50.759822
License: Public Domain

Springer, J.,
concurring in part, and dissenting in part:
I join in the majority’s opinion with respect to the guilt phase, but I cannot agree with the court’s conclusion regarding the penalty phase of this case. Under Enmund v. Florida, 458 U.S. 782, 797 (1981), a factual determination must be made in every death penalty case as to defendant’s culpability. This court is not in the fact-finding business, and thus I would never allow a *419culpability determination to be made on appeal. Even if I were willing to make culpability determinations on appeal, however, I would not be willing to do so in this case. Despite the majority’s assertion to the contrary, Doleman’s culpability was not “obvious.” Appellant did not pull the trigger, and indeed, may not have even been present at the time of the shooting. Such a close factual issue should not be determined summarily on the basis of a lifeless record, but rather should be decided at the district court level, where questions of fact are generally adjudicated. Accordingly, I would remand this case for a new penalty hearing in which Doleman’s culpability would be addressed by an appropriate finder of fact.