Justice O’Connor, For the Court
| Topic: Criminal Procedure* | Court vote: 8–1 | |
Click any Justice for detail Joining O'Connor opinion:  Justice BREYER  Justice GINSBURG  Justice KENNEDY  Chief Justice REHNQUIST  Justice SCALIA  Justice SOUTER  Justice THOMAS | ||
| Citation: 513 U.S. 504 | Docket: 93–7659 | Audio: Listen to this case's oral arguments at Oyez |
* As categorized by the Washington University Law Supreme Court Database
DISCLAIMER: Only United States Reports are legally valid sources for Supreme Court opinions. The text below is provided for ease of access only. If you need to cite the exact text of this opinion or if you would like to view the opinions of the other Justices in this case, please view the original United States Report at Justia. The Sandra Day O'Connor Institute does not in any way represent, warrant, or guarantee that the text below is accurate."
Opinion
JUSTICE O'CONNOR delivered the opinion of the Court. Alabama law vests capital sentencing authority in the trial judge, but requires the judge to consider an advisory jury verdict. We granted certiorari to consider petitioner's argument that Alabama's capital sentencing statute is unconstitutional because it does not specify the weight the judge must give to the jury's recommendation and thus permits arbitrary imposition of the death penalty.
Header photo: United States Supreme Court. Credit: Patrick McKay / Flickr - CC.