romano oklahoma argued march decided june sentencing phase petitioner murder trial oklahoma state introduced copy judgment death sentence received earlier trial another murder jury ultimately found aggravating circumstances outweighed mitigating circumstances imposed second death sentence petitioner affirming oklahoma criminal appeals acknowledged evidence petitioner prior death sentence irrelevant determining appropriateness second death sentence held admission evidence violate eighth fourteenth amendments caldwell mississippi infect sentencing determination unfairness amount denial due process held admission evidence regarding petitioner prior death sentence amount constitutional error pp admission evidence issue contravene principle established caldwell supra concurring part concurring judgment evidence affirmatively mislead jury regarding role sentencing process diminish sense responsibility capital sentencing decision evidence false time admitted even pertain jury sentencing role trial instructions moreover emphasized importance role never conveyed intimated jury shift responsibility sentencing pp although evidence question may irrelevant jury consideration render sentencing proceeding page ii unreliable violated eighth amendment lockett ohio plurality opinion woodson north carolina evidence may irrelevant matter state law render admission federal constitutional error see estelle mcguire dawson delaware zant stephens plainly inapposite since petitioner argue admission evidence allowed jury consider aggravation constitutionally protected conduct johnson mississippi also inapposite since perfectly consistent criminal appeals approach stand proposition mere admission irrelevant prejudicial evidence requires overturning death sentence declines petitioner request fashion federal code general evidentiary rules guise interpreting eighth amendment supersede state rules capital sentencing proceedings pp introduction evidence question infect trial unfairness render jury imposition death penalty denial due process analytical framework set forth donnelly dechristoforo presuming trial instructions followed offer jurors means give effect irrelevant evidence petitioner prior sentence relevant evidence presented state sufficient justify imposition death sentence case even assuming jury disregarded instructions allowed irrelevant evidence influence decision finding fundamental unfairness basis record exercise speculation rather reasoned judgment since seems equally plausible evidence question influenced jurors either impose impose death sentence pp rehnquist delivered opinion scalia kennedy thomas joined filed concurring opinion blackmun filed dissenting opinion ginsburg filed dissenting opinion blackmun stevens souter joined romano oklahoma chief justice rehnquist delivered opinion petitioner murdered robbed roger sarfaty murdered robbed lloyd thompson petitioner tried separately murder thompson trial occurred first oklahoma jury found petitioner guilty sentenced death petitioner tried sarfaty murder different oklahoma jury found guilty sentenced death sentencing phase sarfaty trial state introduced copy judgment sentence petitioner received thompson murder petitioner contends admission evidence regarding prior death sentence undermined sarfaty jury sense responsibility determining appropriateness death penalty violation eighth fourteenth amendments disagree hold admission evidence amount constitutional error oklahoma capital trials bifurcated guilt sentencing phases tit sentencing jury may impose death sentence unless unanimously finds existence least one statutory aggravating circumstance beyond reasonable doubt aggravating circumstances romano oklahoma outweigh mitigating circumstances tit sentencing phase sarfaty trial state sought prove four aggravating circumstances two relevant decision petitioner previously convicted violent felony petitioner constitute continuing threat society attempting establish two aggravating circumstances state introduced evidence relating thompson murder state presented testimony thompson neighbor concerning observations day murder thompson autopsy report photographs fingerprints showing defendant thompson case fact petitioner state also introduced copy judgment sentence thompson murder conviction document revealed petitioner convicted murder sentenced death app also showed trial told jury petitioner planned appealing judgment sentence petitioner counsel objected admission document argued regardless admissibility evidence petitioner conviction death sentence petitioner received proper jury consider trial overruled objection admitted evidence petitioner later presented evidence mitigation closing arguments trial instructed jury identified four aggravating circumstances state sought establish told jury determining sentence may impose case may consider four circumstances identified mitigating romano oklahoma circumstances offered petitioner jury instructed impose death penalty unless unanimously found one aggravating circumstances existed beyond reasonable doubt circumstances outweighed mitigating circumstances closing admonished jury determiner facts importance worth evidence decide made rulings second part trial ruling way suggested intimidated sic way decide express opinion whether aggravating circumstances mitigating circumstances exist suggest way punishment imposed must use kind chance reaching verdict must rest belief agrees appeal case petitioner argued inter alia trial erred admitting evidence romano oklahoma conviction sentence thompson murder asserted improper admit conviction final time admission since overturned also contended evidence death sentence thompson case impermissibly reduced sarfaty sentencing jury sense responsibility decision violation caldwell mississippi oklahoma criminal appeals affirmed romano ii oklahoma concluded evidence regarding petitioner prior death sentence irrelevant jury properly instructed case however said jury way shifted responsibility decision considered decision less significant otherwise ibid criminal appeals held admission evidence infect sentencing determination unfairness make determination impose death penalty denial due process petitioner sought review granted certiorari limited following question admission evidence capital defendant already sentenced death another case impermissibly undermine sentencing jury sense responsibility determining appropriateness defendant death violation eighth fourteenth amendments affirm helpful begin placing petitioner challenge within larger context eighth amendment death penalty jurisprudence held eighth amendment concern death penalty appropriate randomly imposed requires perform two somewhat contradictory tasks order impose death penalty romano oklahoma first must properly establish threshold penalty imposed mccleskey kemp ensure threshold met state must establish rational criteria narrow decisionmaker judgment whether circumstances particular defendant case meet threshold ibid stated lowenfield phelps pass constitutional muster capital sentencing scheme must genuinely narrow class persons eligible death penalty must reasonably justify imposition severe sentence defendant compared others found guilty murder quoting zant stephens respect state sentencing procedure must suitably direct limit decisionmaker discretion minimize risk wholly arbitrary capricious action zant supra quoting gregg georgia petitioner allege oklahoma sentencing scheme fails adequately perform requisite narrowing second must ensure capital sentencing decisions rest individualized inquiry character record individual offender circumstances particular offense considered mccleskey supra internal quotation marks omitted see also clemons mississippi end limit sentencer consideration relevant circumstance cause decline impose penalty respect state channel sentencer discretion must allow consider relevant information offered defendant mccleskey supra within constitutional limits enjoy traditional latitude prescribe method commit murder shall punished romano oklahoma blystone pennsylvania latitude extends evidentiary rules sentencing proceedings see gregg supra approving wide scope evidence argument allowed presentence hearings georgia observed california ramos ensuring death penalty meted arbitrarily capriciously principal concern procedure state imposes death sentence substantive factors state lays jury basis imposing death determined defendant falls within category persons eligible death penalty also held caldwell mississippi jury must misled regarding role plays sentencing decision see plurality opinion concurring part concurring judgment prosecutor caldwell remarks quite focused unambiguous strong misled jury believe responsibility sentencing defendant lay elsewhere trial judge failed correct prosecutor remarks fact openly agreed plurality concluded prosecutor remarks along trial judge affirmation impermissibly minimize jury sense responsibility determining appropriateness death diminution plurality felt precluded jury properly performing responsibility make romano oklahoma individualized determination appropriateness death penalty justice opinion concurring part concurring judgment identified narrowly infirmity prosecutor remarks view prosecutor remarks impermissible inaccurate misleading manner diminished jury sense responsibility justice supplied fifth vote caldwell concurred grounds narrower put forth plurality position controlling see marks gregg supra accordingly since read caldwell relevant certain types comment mislead jury role sentencing process way allows jury feel less responsible sentencing decision darden wainwright thus establish caldwell violation defendant necessarily must show remarks jury improperly described role assigned jury local law dugger adams see also sawyer smith petitioner argues caldwell controls case contends evidence prior death sentence impermissibly undermined sentencing jury sense responsibility violation principle established caldwell disagree infirmity identified caldwell simply absent case jury affirmatively misled regarding role sentencing process evidence issue neither false time admitted even pertain jury role sentencing process trial instructions moreover emphasized importance jury role criminal appeals observed romano oklahoma jury instructed responsibility determining whether death penalty imposed never conveyed intimated way attorneys jury shift responsibility sentencing role way minimized romano ii case different caldwell resolves part petitioner challenge addition raising caldwell claim petitioner presents general contention argues evidence prior death sentence inaccurate irrelevant jury consideration rendered sentencing proceeding unreliable proceeding violated eighth amendment see lockett ohio plurality opinion woodson north carolina oklahoma agreed evidence imposition death penalty another jury relevant determining appropriateness death sentence instant offense romano ii supra evidence may irrelevant matter state law however render admission federal constitutional error see estelle mcguire cases upon petitioner relies support sure hold constitution bars introduction certain evidence sentencing proceedings cases plainly inapposite petitioner cites example dawson delaware romano oklahoma held trial erred admitting evidence dawson capital sentencing proceeding regarding dawson membership white racist prison gang known aryan brotherhood see slip constitutional error however admission violated dawson first amendment rights slip dawson thus involved application principle first enunciated zant aggravating circumstance invalid authorizes jury draw adverse inferences conduct constitutionally protected petitioner argue admission evidence regarding prior death sentence allowed jury consider aggravation constitutionally protected conduct accordingly decisions dawson zant support petitioner contention petitioner also cites johnson mississippi inapposite reversed imposition johnson death sentence evidence supporting aggravating factor turned invalid mississippi refused reweigh remaining untainted aggravating circumstances mitigating circumstances similarly case evidence supporting prior violent felony aggravating circumstance judgment petitioner conviction thompson murder evidence like evidence johnson rendered invalid reversal petitioner conviction appeal however oklahoma criminal appeals struck prior violent felony aggravator reweighed three untainted aggravating circumstances mitigating circumstances still concluded death penalty warranted see romano ii criminal romano oklahoma appeals approach perfectly consistent precedents including johnson remanded without limiting mississippi authority reweigh remaining aggravating circumstances mitigating circumstances see white concurring see also clemons contrary petitioner assertion johnson stand proposition mere admission irrelevant prejudicial evidence requires overturning death sentence petitioner argument pared seems request fashion general evidentiary rules guise interpreting eighth amendment govern admissibility evidence capital sentencing proceedings done past however today eighth amendment establish federal code evidence supersede state evidentiary rules capital sentencing proceedings cf payne tennessee blystone petitioner finally argues introduction evidence question violated due process clause fourteenth amendment settled clause applies sentencing phase capital trials see payne supra clemons supra apital sentencing proceedings must course satisfy dictates due process clause believe proper analytical framework consider claim found donnelly dechristoforo addressed claim remarks made prosecutor closing argument prejudicial violate defendant due process rights noted case one state denied defendant benefit specific constitutional right right counsel remarks prejudiced specific right amount denial romano oklahoma right accordingly sought determine whether prosecutor remark infected trial unfairness make resulting conviction denial due process ibid concluded examination entire proceedings remarks amount denial constitutional due process ibid relevant question case therefore whether admission evidence regarding petitioner prior death sentence infected sentencing proceeding unfairness render jury imposition death penalty denial due process see sawyer observing caldwell rule added donnelly existing guarantee due process protection fundamental unfairness see also darden analyzing allegedly improper comments made prosecutor closing argument stage capital trial relevant question whether prosecutors comments infected trial unfairness make resulting conviction denial due process quoting donnelly supra standard review agree oklahoma criminal appeals admission evidence deprive petitioner fair sentencing proceeding evidence petitioner received death sentence murdering thompson deemed irrelevant oklahoma criminal appeals see romano ii however jurors followed trial instructions presume see richardson marsh evidence little effect deliberations instructions clearly properly described jurors paramount role determining petitioner sentence also explicitly limited jurors consideration aggravating factors four state sought prove regardless romano oklahoma evidence petitioner death sentence thompson case jury sufficient evidence justify conclusion four aggravating circumstances existed although one aggravating circumstances proved invalid petitioner conviction thompson murder overturned appeal three remained untainted still outweighed mitigating circumstances see romano ii supra short instructions offer jurors means give effect evidence petitioner sentence thompson murder relevant evidence presented state sufficient justify imposition death sentence case even assuming jury disregarded trial instructions allowed evidence petitioner prior death sentence influence decision impossible know evidence might affected jury seems equally plausible evidence made jurors inclined impose death sentence made less inclined either conclusion necessarily rests upon one intuition hold basis record admission evidence relating petitioner sentence thompson case rendered petitioner sentencing proceeding sarfaty murder fundamentally unfair thus exercise speculation rather reasoned judgment judgment oklahoma criminal appeals affirmed footnotes retrial thompson murder petitioner convicted sentenced death brief petitioner romano oklahoma justice concurring today relying part opinion caldwell mississippi rejects petitioner claim introduction evidence prior death sentence impermissibly undermined jury sense responsibility write separately explain view petitioner caldwell claim fails inaccuracy prosecutor argument caldwell essential conclusion argument unconstitutional see prosecutor remarks impermissible inaccurate misleading manner diminished jury sense responsibility accurate description jury role even one lessened jury sense responsibility constitutional ibid misleading picture jury role sanctioned california ramos ut neither ramos suggest federal constitution prohibits giving accurate instructions regarding procedures accordingly believe petitioner caldwell claim fails evidence accurate time admitted petitioner sentencing jury told sentenced death indeed introducing evidence different romano oklahoma providing jury accurate description state appellate review process may though never know sure lessen jury sense responsibility neither unconstitutional though evidence like involved case rise level caldwell violation evidence must inaccurate tend undermine jury sense responsibility caldwell supra may well better practice state agree accept petitioner stipulation offer excise sentencing information submitting judgment sentence form jury precedents evidence accurate believe introduction violated constitution romano oklahoma justice blackmun dissenting join justice ginsburg dissent persuasively demonstrates admission romano prior death sentence like prosecutor arguments caldwell mississippi created unacceptable risk leading jurors minimize importance roles even particular constitutional error present case vacate romano death sentence remand resentencing adherence view death penalty imposed fairly within constraints constitution see callins collins romano oklahoma justice ginsburg justice blackmun justice stevens justice souter join dissenting caldwell mississippi overturned capital sentence inadequately reliable statement made prosecutor closing argument penalty phase trial caldwell prosecutor told jury sentencing decision final decision decision render automatically reviewable state responding issue presented caldwell observed capital sentencing jurors required determine whether specific human die hands state placed unfamiliar situation called make difficult uncomfortable choice jurors noted might find highly attractive prosecutor suggestion persons bear responsibility ultimate determination death possibility jury might embraced prosecutor suggestion concluded rendered imposition death penalty inconsistent constitution requirement individualized reliable capital sentencing procedures see romano oklahoma emphasizing truly awesome responsibility imposed upon capital sentencing juries quoting mcgautha california held constitutionally impermissible rest death sentence determination made sentencer led believe responsibility determining appropriateness defendant death rests elsewhere penalty phase romano trial murder roger safarty prosecution sought put jury copy judgment sentence earlier unrelated prosecution document revealed romano convicted romano oklahoma murder lloyd thompson executed crime defense counsel offered stipulate romano conviction thompson murder objected jury consideration death sentence trial overruled defense counsel objection admitted judgment sentence document document stated romano given good reason judgment sentence murder thompson pronounced commanded state department corrections put said john joseph romano death app jury instant safarty murder case also sentenced romano death pendency romano appeal conviction sentence safarty murder oklahoma criminal appeals vacated conviction thompson murder romano state romano urged appeal safarty case caldwell mississippi impermissible place jury relevant deliberations whether romano live die evidence already sentence death oklahoma rejected contention affirmed romano conviction death sentence safarty murder ruling acknowledged earning defendant previously received death sentence another murder diminish jury sense importance role mitigate consequences decision ibid recognized evidence imposition death penalty another jury relevant determining appropriateness death sentence instant offense nevertheless concluded jury properly instructed role responsibility making determination appellate review conclude jur ors romano oklahoma way shifted responsibility decision considered decision less significant otherwise judgment ii caldwell found constitutionally impermissible prosecutor statement penalty phase capital trial jury decision final decision automatically reviewable prosecutor assurances impermissible ruled created unacceptable risk jury minimize importance role believ ing responsibility determining appropriateness defendant death rest ed elsewhere caldwell belief explained inconsistent heightened need reliability capital sentencing quoting woodson north carolina plurality opinion risk diminished jury responsibility also grave romano case revealing jury romano condemned die thompson murder signaled jurors safarty murder case romano faced execution regardless decision case jurors informed might well believe romano fate sealed previous jury thus fully responsibility see people hope jury awareness romano oklahoma defendant prior death sentence diminish sense responsibility assuming defendant already going executed jurors may consider decision considerably less significant otherwise quoting people davis west state miss jury knows defendant already sentence death tend relieve separate responsibility make juror uncertain whether vote death life might swayed knowledge another jury previously resolved identical issue adversely defendant hope supra quoting davis supra juror although unconvinced death appropriate punishment might nevertheless wish send message extreme disapproval defendant acts caldwell reasoning defendant already executed event furthermore jurors otherwise inclined hold life sentence might acquiesce death penalty truly believe warranted cf ne easily imagine case jury divided proper sentence presence appellate review effectively used argument jurors reluctant invoke death sentence nevertheless give respondent state oklahoma correctly observes however evidence prior death sentence may produce unidirectional bias toward death brief respondent jurors otherwise inclined believe defendant deserved death penalty crime case might nonetheless anxious avoid feeling responsibility defendant execution jurors minded might vote life sentence relying prior jury determination romano oklahoma secure defendant death see ante offending prosecutorial comments caldwell contrast created apparently unidirectional bias toward death sentence appellate review caldwell jurors encouraged consider occur jury sentenced defendant death voted life oklahoma maintains romano remains outside caldwell principle unable demonstrate evidence prior death sentence tilted jurors toward death romano prosecutor least seems believed informing jurors prior death sentence incline toward death otherwise probably insisted upon introducing judgment sentence romano objection despite romano offer stipulate underlying conviction critically caldwell comprehend decision require romano prove prosecutor hunch correct either romano case particular death penalty cases generally caldwell dominantly concerns capital sentencing jury awareness acceptance awesome responsibility assure acceptance eighth amendment jurisprudence instructs capital sentencing procedures must especially reliable see prosecutor comments inconsistent eighth amendment heightened need reliability determination death appropriate punishment specific case quoting woodson north carolina supra death sentence meet standard reliability eighth amendment requires may affected state attempt minimize jury sense responsibility determining appropriateness death caldwell romano oklahoma reasoning diminution jurors sense responsibility violates eighth amendment reliability requirement whether defendant demonstrate empirically effect diminution bias jurors judgment toward death according caldwell reviewing say effort minimize jury sense responsibility determining appropriateness death effect sentencing decision sentence death must vacated unreliable ibid iii today reads caldwell apply jury affirmatively misled regarding role sentencing process ante according information incorrect conveyed given jury responsible sentencing romano safarty murder infirmity identified caldwell simply absent case ante rests rendition caldwell premise plurality members endorsed principle regard pivotal diminution jury sense responsibility preclude jury properly performing charge make individualized determination appropriateness death penalty see ante citing caldwell fact however key portions caldwell attributes plurality four joined five eight justices participated case justice parted company members majority discrete section part view seem ed generally characterize information regarding appellate review wholly irrelevant determination appropriate sentence opinion concurring part concurring judgment quoting romano oklahoma justice explained read california ramos imply giving nonmisleading accurate information regarding jury role sentencing scheme irrelevant sentencing decision emphasis omitted context justice stated view quoted ante prosecutor remarks impermissible referred existence review inaccurate misleading manner diminished jury sense responsibility justice concurring opinion thus appears rest grounds narrower relied upon members caldwell majority see ante insofar concurrence disavowed implication giving accurate instructions regarding procedures irrelevant unconstitutional evidence romano death sentence murder thompson however information regarding procedures romano might pursue oklahoma criminal appeals found judgment sentence thompson murder relevant safarty jury sentencing decision evidence imposition death penalty another jury relevant determining appropriateness death sentence instant offense accordingly read justice romano oklahoma concurring opinion narrowing caldwell holding respect issue case presents reasons set margin agree several cases beginning darden wainwright confirm narrow interpretation caldwell announces today see ante finally relies oklahoma criminal appeals trial instruction jurors importance worth evidence decide together disavowal view appropriate punishment ante quotes oklahoma conclusion never conveyed intimated way attorneys jury romano oklahoma shift responsibility sentencing role way minimized ante quoting plainly trial instruction consider evidence resolve caldwell problem case judgment sentence form bearing romano prior death sentence part evidence jury told consider acknowledged evidence prior death sentence diminish jury sense importance role mitigate consequences decision said attorneys conve intimat jury role diminished prosecution proffered judgment sentence evidence trial admitted romano objection despite offer stipulate conviction discussed supra admission evidence risked leading jurors minimize importance role believ ing responsibility determining appropriateness defendant death rest ed elsewhere caldwell risk unacceptable light ease minimized turner murray opinion white romano oklahoma iv permitting jury consider evidence romano already sentence death jury determined whether romano live die threatened minimize jury sense responsibility determining appropriateness death unable say jury consideration romano prior death sentence effect instant sentencing decision caldwell vacate decision remand case new sentencing hearing see sentence constitutionally invalid unreliable sentencing jury led believe responsibility determining appropriateness death sentence rests jury appellate later reviews case uncorrected suggestion responsibility ultimate determination death rest others presents intolerable danger jury fact choose minimize importance role state effort minimize jury sense responsibility determining appropriateness death might affected sentencing decision death sentence must vacated also observed although death sentences attract heightened appellate scrutiny presumption correctness attends jury determination romano subsequently reconvicted second trial thompson murder sentenced death see brief petitioner state suggest events affect question consider merits brief state brief brief opposition petition certiorari state oklahoma argued evidence romano prior sentence may relevant belated argument persuade authority state cites holding prior death sentence may relevant evidence sentencing commonwealth beasley romano oklahoma case decided purely matter state statutory construction term conviction taken include sentence imposed earlier conviction darden rejected caldwell challenge prosecutor comments guilt phase capital trial observed fact prosecutor make comments penalty phase greatly reduc ed chance effect sentencing unlike judgment sentence form romano case comments made darden evidence trial told jury several times finally concluded prosecutor comments anything tendency increase jury perception role diminish ibid also relies upon dugger adams sawyer smith adams stated merit respondent caldwell claim irrelevant disposition case sawyer question considered whether caldwell violation occurred whether caldwell announced new rule defined teague lane whether caldwell dictated prior precedent existing time habeas petitioner conviction became final state argues caldwell problems resolved judgment sentence form stated romano gave notice intention appeal judgment sentence herein pronounced app trial judge told jury form admitted romano convicted appeal become final tr may see brief respondent find general references appellate review sufficient salvage instant death sentence given irrelevance romano prior sentence legitimate sentencing considerations see ease caldwell difficulty avoided page