skipper south carolina argued february decided april petitioner convicted capital murder rape jury trial south carolina state sought death penalty separate sentencing hearing held trial jury following state introduction evidence aggravation offense petitioner presented mitigating evidence testimony former wife mother sister grandmother sought introduce testimony two jailers regular visitor effect made good adjustment months spent jail arrest trial trial ruled evidence irrelevant inadmissible petitioner sentenced death south carolina affirmed death sentence rejecting petitioner contention trial committed constitutional error excluding testimony jailers visitor held trial exclusion sentencing hearing testimony jailers visitor denied petitioner right place sentencing jury relevant evidence mitigation punishment lockett ohio eddings oklahoma pp record support state contention trial ruling application rules restricting use lay opinion testimony pp support record state contention trial ruling improper prevent petitioner introducing evidence past good conduct jail foreclosed introduction irrelevant evidence future adaptability prison life pp contrary state suggestion implausible facts characterize excluded evidence cumulative exclusion harmless error pp white delivered opinion brennan marshall blackmun stevens joined powell filed opinion concurring judgment burger rehnquist joined post david bruck appointment argued cause filed briefs petitioner harold coombs assistant attorney general south carolina argued cause respondent brief travis medlock attorney general brief amici curiae filed state alabama et al david crump charles graddick attorney general alabama steve clark attorney general arkansas james kelly chief state attorney connecticut jim smith attorney general florida james jones attorney general idaho william webster attorney general missouri leroy zimmerman attorney general pennsylvania gerald baliles attorney general virginia kenneth eikenberry attorney general washington archie mcclintock attorney general wyoming justice white delivered opinion petitioner ronald skipper convicted south carolina trial capital murder rape state sought death penalty separate sentencing hearing held trial jury code provides bifurcated trial jury sentencing capital cases following introduction state evidence aggravation offense principally evidence petitioner history sexually assaultive behavior petitioner presented mitigating evidence testimony former wife mother sister grandmother testimony part concerned difficult circumstances upbringing petitioner former wife however testified briefly petitioner conducted well months spent jail arrest trial petitioner also testified prior period incarceration earned equivalent high school diploma sentenced life imprisonment rather death behave prison attempt work contribute money support family petitioner also sought introduce testimony two jailers one regular visitor jail effect petitioner made good adjustment time spent jail trial however ruled south carolina decision state koon koon evidence irrelevant hence inadmissible decision koon judge stated stood rule whether petitioner adjust adjust issue case app hearing closing arguments course prosecutor contended petitioner pose disciplinary problems sentenced prison likely rape prisoners jury sentenced petitioner death appeal petitioner contended trial committed constitutional error excluding testimony jailers visitor testimony witnesses petitioner argued constituted relevant mitigating evidence exclusion evidence improper decisions lockett ohio eddings oklahoma south carolina rejected petitioner contention stating trial judge properly refused admit evidence petitioner future adaptability prison life state koon supra however evidence past adaptability admitted testimony former wife mother testimony contention without merit disputing decision eddings requires capital cases sentencer precluded considering mitigating factor aspect defendant character record circumstances offense defendant proffers basis sentence less death eddings supra quoting lockett supra plurality opinion burger emphasis original equally clear corollary rule sentencer may refuse consider precluded considering relevant mitigating evidence rules well established state question accordingly question us whether exclusion sentencing hearing testimony petitioner proffered regarding good behavior seven months spent jail awaiting trial deprived petitioner right place sentencer relevant evidence mitigation punishment hardly disputed state contest witnesses petitioner attempted place stand testified petitioner prisoner state dispute jury drawn favorable inferences testimony regarding petitioner character probable future conduct sentenced life prison although true inferences relate specifically petitioner culpability crime committed see koon supra question inferences mitigating sense might serve basis sentence less death lockett supra consideration defendant past conduct indicative probable future behavior inevitable undesirable element criminal sentencing sentencing authority must predict convicted person probable future conduct engages process determining punishment impose jurek texas opinion stewart powell stevens therefore held evidence defendant future pose danger community executed may treated establishing aggravating factor purposes capital sentencing jurek texas supra see also barefoot estelle likewise evidence defendant pose danger spared incarcerated must considered potentially mitigating eddings evidence may excluded sentencer consideration state advances several arguments exclusion petitioner proffered evidence nonetheless erroneous first state contends trial ruled petitioner witnesses offer incompetent lay opinion testimony regarding petitioner ability adjust prison life future eddings state argues displace reasonable rules regarding competency testimony record however support state contention trial ruling evenhanded application rules restricting use opinion testimony true petitioner request ruling admissibility testimony two jailers regular visitor immediately preceded attempt introduce former wife opinion ruled inadmissible trial judge app regarding prospects adjustment prison life seeking ruling testimony three witnesses issue however petitioner made clear expected testify petitioner made good adjustment jail emphasis added defense counsel offering opinion testimony regarding future events circumstances ruling premised assumption petitioner planned present incompetent opinion testimony state conceded oral argument mistake misunderstanding means justify exclusion nonopinion evidence bearing defendant ability adjust prison life second state echoes south carolina arguing trial ruling improper prevent petitioner introducing evidence past good conduct jail purposes establishing good character foreclosed introduction irrelevant evidence future adaptability prison life clear support contention record case trial explicitly rely distinction appears excluded petitioner evidence good conduct purpose whatsoever state proposed distinction use evidence past good conduct prove good character use evidence establish future good conduct prison seems drawn decision south carolina another case altogether state koon koon ii cert denied stated although future adaptability prison irrelevant evidence bear defendant character prior record circumstances offense ast behavior prison bear defendant character therefore relevant distinction elusive explained defendant disposition make peaceful adjustment life prison aspect character nature relevant sentencing determination accordingly precise meaning practical significance decision koon ii state argument difficult assess assuming however rule case effect precluding defendant introducing otherwise admissible evidence explicit purpose convincing jury spared death penalty pose undue danger jailers fellow prisoners lead useful life behind bars sentenced life imprisonment rule pass muster eddings since trial ruling case whether credibly said consistent koon ii least effect stand eddings finally state seems suggest exclusion proffered testimony proper testimony merely cumulative testimony petitioner former wife petitioner behavior jail awaiting trial satisfactory petitioner testimony sentenced prison rather death attempt use time productively cause trouble think however characterizing excluded evidence cumulative exclusion harmless implausible facts us evidence petitioner allowed present issue conduct jail sort evidence jury naturally tend discount testimony disinterested witnesses particular jailers particular reason favorably predisposed toward one charges quite naturally given much greater weight jury confidently conclude credible evidence petitioner good prisoner effect upon jury deliberations prosecutor closing argument made much dangers petitioner pose sentenced prison went far assert petitioner expected rape inmates circumstances appears reasonably likely exclusion evidence bearing upon petitioner behavior jail hence upon likely future behavior prison may affected jury decision impose death sentence thus standard exclusion evidence sufficiently prejudicial constitute reversible error exclusion state trial relevant mitigating evidence impeded sentencing jury ability carry task considering relevant facets character record individual offender resulting death sentence stand although state course precluded seeking impose death sentence provided new sentencing hearing petitioner permitted present relevant mitigating evidence available eddings judgment south carolina therefore reversed insofar affirms death sentence case remanded proceedings inconsistent opinion ordered footnotes hold facets defendant ability adjust prison life must treated relevant potentially mitigating example quarrel statement south carolina often defendant take shower irrelevant sentencing determination state plath cert denied case us credible suggestion petitioner sought introduce evidence personal hygiene practices rather petitioner apparently attempted introduce evidence suggesting disciplined prisoner evidence adjustability life prison unquestionably goes feature defendant character highly relevant jury sentencing determination justice powell chief justice justice rehnquist join concurring judgment although agree petitioner death sentence must vacated result required decisions lockett ohio eddings oklahoma reverse judgment trial excluded relevant mitigating evidence within meaning decisions see lockett supra petitioner allowed rebut evidence argument used see gardner florida course petitioner sentencing proceeding prosecutor adduced testimony petitioner kicked bars cell following arrest closing argument prosecutor contended petitioner likely commit violent crimes prison allowed live referred incident petitioner cell support characterization petitioner hopelessly violent man petitioner wife said told raped prison history know think raper think rapee given opportunity four time sexual abusing loser think get raped prison ronald skipper big old robust ronald skipper knocks woman sic side head little boy prison mitigating circumstances submitted defendant defendant shown significant positive adjustments confinement education employment skills enable stable productive prisoner admit kicking bars kind prisoner kicking bar kicking bars app ii correctly concludes exclusion proffered testimony violated due process ante gardner florida supra vacated death sentence ground sentencing judge considered confidential presentence report without permitting defendant see report plurality concluded defendant denied due process death sentence imposed least part basis information opportunity deny explain opinion stevens see also white concurring judgment applying analysis eighth amendment gardner petitioner case permitted deny explain evidence death sentence may part rested error aggravated prosecutor closing argument emphasized exaggerated petitioner misconduct prison arrest therefore petitioner death sentence violates rule gardner iii unnecessarily abandons narrow ground decision broader one holding proffered testimony mitigating evidence must admitted eighth amendment view reasoning flawed eighth amendment requires sentencing authority consider relevant mitigating evidence concerning defendant character record circumstances offense eddings oklahoma supra lockett ohio supra retain traditional authority determine particular evidence within broad categories described lockett eddings relevant first instance long determinations reasonable long foreclose consideration factors may tend reduce defendant culpability crime see eddings supra respect see reason state consistent principles exclude evidence defendant good behavior jail following arrest long evidence offered rebut testimony argument tendered prosecution evidence bearing circumstances offense since concerns defendant behavior crime committed say anything necessarily relevant defendant character record phrase used lockett eddings decisions clearly focus evidence lessens defendant culpability crime convicted sentencing jury lockett barred considering evidence defendant youth lack specific intent cause death relatively minor part crime evidence obviously bore strongly degree defendant morally responsible crime indeed since held similar evidence precludes application death penalty precisely reason enmund florida eddings judge refused consider defendant youth history beatings harsh father severe emotional disturbance emphasized evidence tended diminish defendant responsibility acts noting youths less mature responsible adults deserve less punishment adolescents may less capacity control conduct think terms adults quoting twentieth century fund task force sentencing policy toward young offenders confronting youth crime type evidence required admitted lockett eddings thus pertained conduct circumstances prior crime nature extent defendant participation crime case first time classifies mitigating conduct occurred crime accused charged almost definition conduct neither excuses defendant crime reduces responsibility commission therefore properly considered mitigating evidence sentencer must consider constitution useful recall origins rule applies today ten years ago woodson north carolina determined carry death penalty without particularized consideration relevant aspects character record convicted defendant plurality opinion see also roberts louisiana plurality opinion determination flowed conviction individual culpability always measured category crime committed furman georgia burger dissenting quoted woodson supra see also roberts supra thus reasoned unconstitutionally arbitrary execute man woman without considering factors showing death appropriate sentence woodson supra cf enmund florida supra lockett eddings followed naturally decision woodson also follows woodson companion cases bound consider factors central fundamental justice execution recognized society important legitimate interests retribution deterrence interests provide necessary justification imposing death penalty gregg georgia joint opinion society legitimate desire retribution less strong respect defendant played minor role murder convicted cf lockett similarly death penalty little deterrent force defendants reduced capacity considered choice cf eddings evidence concerning degree defendant participation crime age emotional history thus bear directly fundamental justice imposing capital punishment simply said defendant behavior prison following arrest society interest retribution hardly lessened knowledge brutal murderer reasons model deportment prison awaiting trial sentence society important interest deterrence served allowing murderer avoid death penalty following counsel advice behave tightly controlled prison environment iv even defendant apparent capacity adjust well prison fell within scope mitigating factors must considered lockett eddings state right exclude evidence conduct prison awaiting trial sentencing one arrested capital crime particularly convicted defendant awaiting sentencing every incentive behave flawlessly prison good behavior might cause sentencing authority spare life good behavior circumstances rarely predictive conduct prisoner sentence imposed reason state courts reasonably determine evidence little probative value certainly aid sentencer distinguishing cases death penalty imposed many cases furman georgia supra white concurring quoted gregg georgia supra contrary determination apparently rests notion little authority decide certain types evidence may insufficient probative value justify admission cf ante lockett explicitly rejected approach good reason special expertise deciding whether particular categories evidence speculative insubstantial merit consideration sentencer cf barefoot estelle makes little sense substitute judgment relevance state courts legislatures intrusive review necessary context guard fundamentally unjust executions one plausibly equate type evidence issue lockett eddings evidence capital defendant refrained assaulting anyone prison awaiting trial sentencing therefore leave disposition evidence kind involved subject requirements due process following colloquy took place close fellow got horry county jail went kicking cell right yes sir hat kind fellow nice today right app noted many types murders death penalty undoubtedly significant deterrent gregg georgia see also actual deterrent value death penalty particular contexts complex factual issue resolution properly rests legislatures deterrent value inevitably diluted defendants allowed escape execution based factors nothing criminal responsibility consequences mistakes extend cases occur defendants able avoid execution based irrelevant criteria far graver risk injustice executing others see furman georgia white concurring thus find difficult accept proposition constitution compels consider factors defendant willingness conform prison rules plainly undermine deterrence without advancing retributive goals today decision competent defense counsel capital cases instruct clients behave like eagle scouts awaiting trial particularly awaiting sentencing capital cases important defendant customary advice counsel criminal trial advise client behave courtroom indeed novel doctrine compliance advice defendant charged capital murder becomes mitigating factor sentencing judge jury must matter constitutional law consider passing sentence