Delaware Supreme Court: Death Penalty Law Unconsti
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Posted On: 08/02/2016 5:11:16 PM
Delaware Supreme Court: Death Penalty Law Unconstitutional
In a landmark decision, the Delaware Supreme Court has ruled that the state's death penalty statute is unconstitutional.
A 148-page opinion released Tuesday afternoon said that the current law is a violation of the Sixth Amendment role of the jury. The decision of whether and how to reinstate the death penalty should now be left to the General Assembly, the opinion said.
The question before the top state court arose after the U.S. Supreme Court found in January that Florida's death penalty law was unconstitutional because it gave judges – not juries – the final say to impose a death sentence.
Delaware and Alabama are the only other states that allow judges to override a jury's recommendation of life.
STORY: Delaware court considers constitutionality of death penalty
STORY: Prisoner back to solitary after Supreme Court ruling
Delaware is one of 32 states with capital punishment. The last execution in the state was in 2012, when Shannon Johnson, 28, was killed by lethal injection.
All pending capital murder trials and executions for the 14 men on death r
In a landmark decision, the Delaware Supreme Court has ruled that the state's death penalty statute is unconstitutional.
A 148-page opinion released Tuesday afternoon said that the current law is a violation of the Sixth Amendment role of the jury. The decision of whether and how to reinstate the death penalty should now be left to the General Assembly, the opinion said.
The question before the top state court arose after the U.S. Supreme Court found in January that Florida's death penalty law was unconstitutional because it gave judges – not juries – the final say to impose a death sentence.
Delaware and Alabama are the only other states that allow judges to override a jury's recommendation of life.
STORY: Delaware court considers constitutionality of death penalty
STORY: Prisoner back to solitary after Supreme Court ruling
Delaware is one of 32 states with capital punishment. The last execution in the state was in 2012, when Shannon Johnson, 28, was killed by lethal injection.
All pending capital murder trials and executions for the 14 men on death r
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