The earlier date was the effective date for the most recent Kentucky law on capital punishment. The analysis used a technique designed to provide explicit modeling between the stages of the capital sentencing process. Results revealed that black persons accused of killing white persons had a higher than average probability of being charged with a capital crime by the prosecutor and sentenced by the jury to death than did other homicide offenders. This finding remained after taking into account the effects of differences in the heinousness of the murder, prior criminal record, the victim-offender relationship, and the probability that the accused would not stand trial for a capital offense. Findings indicated that Kentucky's guided-discretion system of capital sentencing has failed to eliminate race as a factor in this process. Tables, notes, list of cases cited, and 43 references (Author abstract modified)