United States Ninth Circuit

An aggravating circumstances jury instruction at a capital penalty phase was unconstitutional, and error was not cured under Walton v. Arizona, 497 U.S. 639, a procedure unavailable after a jury finding of aggravated or mitigating circumstances.

Appellate Information

• Decided 09/17/2002
• Published 09/17/2002

Judges

• Before SCHROEDER, Chief Judge, REINHARDT, O'SCANNLAIN, RYMER, T.G. NELSON, THOMAS, GRABER, W. FLETCHER, FISHER, PAEZ, and BERZON, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Ninth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Lawrence D. Wishart,Mary Beth Gardner, Reno, Nevada, for petitioner-appellant., Franny A. Forsman, Michael Pescetta, Office of the Federal Public Defender, Las Vegas, NV, for Amicus Curiae.


• For Appellees:
  
• Frankie Sue Del Papa, David F. Sarnowski, Robert E. Wieland, Dorothy Nash Holmes, Office of the Attorney General, Las Vegas, NV, for respondent-appellee.