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Article: Can judges alone set death penalty? The Supreme Court considers whether a post-jury decision violates a defendant's rights.(USA)
- Article from:
- The Christian Science Monitor
- Article date:
- April 22, 2002
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 The Christian Science Publishing Society. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Warren Richey Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
WASHINGTON -- An Arizona man, Timothy Ring, is convicted by a 12-member jury in the shooting death of an armored-car driver during a robbery.
Under Arizona law, the maximum penalty he faces from the jury verdict is life in prison. But state law also empowers Mr. Ring's trial judge to impose a death sentence in certain circumstances.
At Ring's sentencing hearing, the judge hears incriminating testimony from a co-conspirator - testimony never heard by the jury at trial. The judge decides to sentence Ring to death.
Does the sentencing hearing amount to a second trial ...