U.S. Sup. Ct.;
12-794
Respondent pleaded guilty to capital murder, capital kidnaping, and first-degree rape, the statutory aggravating circumstance for the murder. He was sentenced to death after the trial court denied defense counsel’s request to instruct the jury not to draw any adverse inference from respondent’s decision not to testify at the penalty phase. The Kentucky Supreme Court affirmed, finding that the Fifth Amendment’s requirement of a no-adverse-inference instruction to protect a non testifying defendant at the guilt phase, see (I)Carter (I)v. (I)Kentucky(I), 450 U. S. 288, is not required at the penalty phase. Subsequently, the Federal District Court granted respondent habeas relief, holding that the trial court’s refusal to give the requested instruction violated respondent’s privilege against self-incrimination. The Sixth Circuit affirmed.
