United States Supreme Court

In a criminal case involving death sentences for convictions of various charges stemming from a notorious crime spree that culminated in the brutal rape, robbery, kidnaping, and execution-style shooting of five young men and women, the Kansas Supreme Court vacation of the death sentences in each case, on grounds that the sentencing instructions violated the Eighth Amendment, is reversed where the Eighth Amendment does not require capital-sentencing courts to instruct a jury that mitigating circumstances need not be proved beyond a reasonable doubt.

Appellate Information

• Published 2016/01/20

Judges

• SCALIA

Court

• United States Supreme Court

Counsel