Court Opinion

ID: 9848224
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 04:14:58.257432+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:18:08.457337
License: Public Domain

Justice Higgins
dissenting as to death sentence.
In my opinion a valid death sentence cannot be imposed in this State unless the Supreme Court of the United States reverses the holding in Furman v. Georgia, or unless the North Carolina General Assembly repeals the proviso for jury recommendation of life imprisonment.
The reasons for my views are stated in my concurring in result opinion in State v. Waddell. In Waddell this Court reversed (in effect vacated) the death sentence and remanded for a sentence of life imprisonment.
Since the Supreme Court of the United States has not modified the holding in Furman and since the North Carolina General Assembly has not repealed the-proviso for jury recommendation of life imprisonment, I vote to vacate the death sentence and to remand for'a sentence of life imprisonment.