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Prosecution of a Death Penalty Case in Pennsylvania: With Analysis of United States Supreme Court Cases

NCJ Number
150303
Author(s)
E D Preate Jr; R A Graci
Date Published
1994
Length
302 pages
Annotation
This manual is designed for the litigator involved in trials, appeals, and postconviction proceedings in capital cases in Pennsylvania.
Abstract
The chapters on pretrial and courtroom issues cover trial preparation, discovery, voir dire, prejudicial pretrial publicity, bail, notice of aggravating circumstances, and the defense investigation. A separate chapter deals with incompetency, insanity, diminished capacity, and guilty-but- mentally ill pleas. Issues related directly to the posttrial period include prosecutorial discretion in seeking the death penalty, evidence at the sentencing proceeding, aggravating circumstances, prior convictions or crimes in the sentencing phase, mitigating circumstances, and the sympathy plea. The manual also discusses ineffective assistance of counsel, the death penalty hearing procedure in Pennsylvania, jury decision-finding, investigating the jury deliberations, and constitutional challenges to the death penalty statute.