eddings oklahoma argued november decided january petitioner convicted oklahoma trial murder killing police officer sentenced death time offense petitioner years old tried adult oklahoma death penalty statute provides sentencing proceeding evidence may presented mitigating circumstances certain enumerated aggravating circumstances sentencing hearing state alleged certain enumerated aggravating circumstances petitioner mitigation presented substantial evidence turbulent family history beatings harsh father serious emotional disturbance imposing death sentence trial judge found state proved alleged aggravating circumstances refused matter law consider mitigation circumstances petitioner unhappy upbringing emotional disturbance found mitigating circumstance petitioner youth circumstance held insufficient outweigh aggravating circumstances oklahoma criminal appeals affirmed held death sentence must vacated imposed without type individualized consideration mitigating factors required eighth fourteenth amendments capital cases lockett ohio pp eighth fourteenth amendments require sentencer precluded considering mitigating factor aspect defendant character record circumstances offense defendant proffers basis sentence less death lockett ohio supra rule follows requirement capital punishment imposed fairly reasonable consistency recognizes consistency produced ignoring individual differences false consistency pp limitation placed courts upon mitigating evidence consider violated rule state may statute preclude sentencer considering mitigating factor neither may sentencer refuse consider matter law relevant mitigating evidence sentencer reviewing may determine weight given relevant mitigating evidence may give weight excluding consideration evidence difficult family history emotional disturbance petitioner offered sentencing hearing duly considered sentencing pp powell delivered opinion brennan marshall stevens joined brennan post post filed concurring opinions burger filed dissenting opinion white blackmun rehnquist joined post jay baker appointment argued cause filed brief petitioner david lee assistant attorney general oklahoma argued cause respondent brief jan eric cartwright attorney general tomilou gentry liddell assistant attorney general briefs amici curiae urging reversal filed gail robinson kevin michael mcnally vincent aprile ii kentucky youth advocates et al robert walker national council crime delinquency et al daniel popeo paul kamenar filed brief washington legal foundation amicus curiae justice powell delivered opinion petitioner monty lee eddings convicted murder sentenced death sentence imposed without type individualized consideration mitigating factors required eighth fourteenth amendments capital cases lockett ohio opinion burger reverse april eddings youth several younger companions ran away missouri homes traveled car owned eddings brother drove without destination purpose southwesterly direction eventually reaching oklahoma turnpike eddings car shotgun several rifles taken father momentarily lost control car signalled pull officer crabtree oklahoma highway patrol eddings officer approached car eddings stuck loaded shotgun window fired killing officer eddings juvenile state moved certified stand trial adult finding prosecutive merit complaint eddings amenable rehabilitation within juvenile system trial granted motion ruling affirmed appeal crim app cert denied sub nom eddings oklahoma eddings charged murder first degree district creek county found guilty upon plea nolo contendere oklahoma death penalty statute provides pertinent part upon conviction guilt defendant murder first degree shall conduct separate sentencing proceeding determine whether defendant sentenced death life imprisonment sentencing proceeding evidence may presented mitigating circumstances aggravating circumstances enumerated act okla tit emphasis added sentencing hearing state alleged three aggravating circumstances enumerated statute murder especially heinous atrocious cruel crime committed purpose avoiding preventing lawful arrest probability defendant commit criminal acts violence constitute continuing threat society mitigation eddings presented substantial evidence hearing troubled youth testimony supervising juvenile officer indicated eddings raised without proper guidance parents divorced years old eddings lived mother without rules supervision app suggestion eddings mother alcoholic possibly prostitute time eddings longer controlled mother sent live father neither father control boy attempts reason talk gave way physical punishment juvenile officer testified eddings frightened bitter father overreacted used excessive physical punishment eddings found thing thought effectful boy actual punishment physical violence hitting strap something like testimony witnesses indicated eddings emotionally disturbed general time crime mental emotional development level several years age state psychologist stated eddings sociopathic antisocial personality approximately youths suffering disorder grew aged sociologist specializing juvenile offenders testified eddings treatable psychiatrist testified eddings rehabilitated intensive therapy period testified eddings pull trigger kill someone even think knew psychiatrist suggested treated eddings longer pose serious threat society conclusion evidence trial judge weighed evidence aggravating mitigating circumstances found state proved three alleged aggravating circumstances beyond reasonable doubt turning evidence mitigating circumstances judge found eddings youth mitigating factor great weight given serious consideration youth defendant particular crime committed fail think carrying duty consider mitigation circumstances eddings unhappy upbringing emotional disturbance persuaded entirely fact youth sixteen years old heinous crime committed following law opinion consider fact young man violent background emphasis added finding mitigating circumstance eddings youth finding circumstance outweigh aggravating circumstances present judge sentenced eddings death criminal appeals affirmed sentence death found aggravating circumstances alleged state present recited mitigating evidence presented eddings detail end agreed trial fact eddings youth properly considered mitigating circumstance eddings also argues mental state time murder stresses family history saying suffering severe psychological emotional disorders killing actuality inevitable product way raised doubt petitioner personality disorder evidence tends show knew difference right wrong time pulled trigger test criminal responsibility state reason petitioner family history useful explaining behaved way excuse behaviour citation omitted ii lockett ohio chief justice burger writing plurality stated rule apply today conclude eighth fourteenth amendments require sentencer precluded considering mitigating factor aspect defendant character record circumstances offense defendant proffers basis sentence less death emphasis original chief justice explained rule lockett product considerable history reflecting law effort develop system capital punishment consistent principled also humane sensible uniqueness individual since early days common law legal system struggled accommodate twin objectives thus common law began treating criminal homicides capital offenses mandatory sentence death later allowed exceptions first exclusion entitled claim benefit clergy limiting capital punishment murders upon malice prepensed country attempted soften rigor system mandatory death sentences inherited england first grading murder different degrees murder first degree capital offense committing use death penalty absolute discretion jury time decision furman georgia country moved far mandatory system imposition capital punishment frequently become arbitrary capricious beginning furman attempted provide standards constitutional death penalty serve goals measured consistent application fairness accused thus gregg georgia principal opinion held danger arbitrary capricious death penalty met carefully drafted statute ensures sentencing authority given adequate information guidance requirement jury find one aggravating circumstances listed death penalty statute direction jury consider mitigating circumstances georgia statute properly confined directed jury attention circumstances particular crime characteristics person committed crime similarly woodson north carolina plurality held mandatory death sentencing permissible response problem arbitrary jury discretion history capital punishment shown approach problem discretion succeed eighth amendment required individual given due fundamental respect humanity underlying eight amendment requires consideration character record individual offender circumstances particular offense constitutionally indispensable part process inflicting penalty death see roberts harry louisiana roberts stanislaus louisiana thus rule lockett followed earlier decisions insistence capital punishment imposed fairly reasonable consistency requiring sentencer permitted focus characteristics person committed crime gregg georgia supra rule lockett recognizes justice requires taken account circumstances offense together character propensities offender pennsylvania ashe holding sentencer capital cases must permitted consider relevant mitigating factor rule lockett recognizes consistency produced ignoring individual differences false consistency iii apply rule lockett circumstances case trial judge stated following law consider fact young man violent background app dispute violent background trial judge referring mitigating evidence eddings family history statement clear trial judge evaluate evidence mitigation find wanting matter fact rather found matter law unable even consider evidence criminal appeals took approach found evidence mitigation relevant tend provide legal excuse criminal responsibility thus conceded eddings personality disorder cast evidence aside basis knew difference right wrong test criminal responsibility similarly evidence eddings family history useful explaining behavior excuse behaviour statements appears criminal appeals also considered evidence mitigating tend support legal excuse criminal liability find limitations placed courts upon mitigating evidence consider violated rule lockett state may statute preclude sentencer considering mitigating factor neither may sentencer refuse consider matter law relevant mitigating evidence instance trial judge instructed jury disregard mitigating evidence eddings proffered behalf sentencer criminal appeals review may determine weight given relevant mitigating evidence may give weight excluding evidence consideration doubt evidence eddings offered relevant mitigating evidence eddings youth years time murder evidence difficult family history emotional disturbance typically introduced defendants mitigation see mcgautha california cases evidence properly may given little weight defendant years old time offense doubt evidence turbulent family history beatings harsh father severe emotional disturbance particularly relevant trial judge recognized youth must considered relevant mitigating factor youth chronological fact time condition life person may susceptible influence psychological damage history replete laws judicial recognition minors especially earlier years generally less mature responsible adults particularly formative years childhood adolescence minors often lack experience perspective judgment expected adults bellotti baird even normal customarily lacks maturity adult case eddings normal deprived care concern paternal attention children deserve contrary disputed juvenile serious emotional problems raised neglectful sometimes even violent family background addition testimony eddings mental emotional development level several years chronological age suggest absence responsibility crime murder deliberately committed case rather say chronological age minor relevant mitigating factor great weight must background mental emotional development youthful defendant duly considered sentencing unaware extent minors engage increasingly violent crime suggest absence legal responsibility crime committed minor concerned manner imposition ultimate penalty death sentence imposed crime murder upon emotionally disturbed youth disturbed child immaturity remand state courts must consider relevant mitigating evidence weigh evidence aggravating circumstances weight evidence accordingly judgment reversed extent sustains imposition death penalty case remanded proceedings inconsistent opinion ordered footnotes psychiatrist suggested time murder eddings mind shooting stepfather policeman married mother brief period eddings seven psychiatrist stated think given circumstances facts life facts arrested development acted seven year old seeking revenge rebellion act pull trigger kill someone even think knew trial judge found first crime heinous atrocious cruel designed inflict high degree pain utter indifference rights patrolman crabtree second judge found crime committed purpose avoiding preventing lawful arrest prosecution evidence sufficient indicate time offense eddings wish returned missouri stopping car officer intent make lawful arrest finally trial judge found eddings posed continuing threat violence society evidence one point day murder eddings taken county jail told two officers loose shoot also evidence another time officer refused turn light eddings cell eddings became angry threatened officer shot one people get turn light based two spontaneous utterances trial judge found strong likelihood eddings commit criminal act violence released understand criminal appeals hold murder police officer performance duties heinous atrocious cruel oklahoma statute see roberts louisiana however doubt trial judge understanding application aggravating circumstance conformed degree certainty required decision godfrey georgia see supra decide case basis lockett ohio reach question whether light contemporary standards eighth amendment forbids execution defendant time offense cf bell ohio jury attention focused characteristics person committed crime special facts defendant mitigate imposing capital punishment youth extent cooperation police emotional state time crime process accords significance relevant facets character record individual offender circumstances particular offense excludes consideration fixing ultimate punishment death possibility compassionate mitigating factors stemming diverse frailties humankind treats persons convicted designated offense uniquely individual human beings brief respondent inference drawn consider petitioner juvenile record family life mitigating circumstance tr oral arg trial consider fact family background mitigating circumstance violent background assume meant eddings subject slapping around beating father argument respondent eddings argued criminal appeals imposition death penalty particular circumstances case light mitigating factors present excessive punishment eight amendment specifically argue trial judge erred refusing consider relevant mitigating circumstances process sentencing rejecting claim excessive punishment examined aggravating mitigating circumstances held eddings family history emotional disorder mitigating circumstances weighed balance holding factors irrelevant inquiry excessiveness also holding need considered sentencer imposing capital punishment similarly eddings argument petition certiorari imposition death penalty excessive facts case comprises argument sentencer erred refusing consider relevant mitigating circumstances proffered sentencing hearing short although neither opinion criminal appeals eddings petition certiorari spoke decision lockett name question whether decisions consistent decision lockett properly us jurisdiction depend citation book verse see new york ex rel bryant zimmerman although eddings petition certiorari expressly present lockett issue brief argued state responded argument brief petitioner brief respondent dissenting opinion chief justice post courts afforded opportunity consider issue fact however petition criminal appeals rehearing eddings specifically presented issue considerable length see petition supporting brief interpretation mitigating circumstances effectively limited scope mitigation limitation renders oklahoma death penalty statute unconstitutional criminal appeals denied petition stating given full consideration fully advised premises see rule rules criminal appeals entertain new arguments upon petition rehearing cf cox broadcasting cohn see also wood georgia beck alabama vachon new hampshire note oklahoma death penalty statute permits defendant present evidence mitigating circumstances okla tit lockett requires sentencer listen adolescents everywhere every walk life often dangerous others president commission law enforcement administration justice task force report juvenile delinquency youth crime dolescents particularly early middle teen years vulnerable impulsive less adults crimes committed youths may harmful victims committed older persons deserve less punishment adolescents may less capacity control conduct think terms adults moreover youth crime exclusively offender fault offenses young also represent failure family school social system share responsibility development america youth twentieth century fund task force sentencing policy toward young offenders confronting youth crime justice frankfurter stated hildren special place life law reflect may anderson concurring opinion indeed law reflect special place every state country makes separate provision juvenile offenders see gault see national advisory committee criminal justice standards goals task force report juvenile justice delinquency prevention justice brennan concurring join opinion without however departing view death penalty circumstances cruel unusual punishment prohibited eighth fourteenth amendments gregg georgia dissenting opinion justice concurring write separately address fully reasons case must remanded light lockett ohio requires trial consider weigh mitigating evidence concerning petitioner family background personal history sentences death qualitatively different prison sentences woodson north carolina opinion stewart powell stevens jj gone extraordinary measures ensure prisoner sentenced executed afforded process guarantee much humanly possible sentence imposed whim passion prejudice mistake surely less required defendant minor one example measures taken lockett ohio supra plurality wrote perfect procedure deciding cases governmental authority used impose death statute prevents sentencer capital cases giving independent mitigating weight aspects defendant character record circumstances offense proffered mitigation creates risk death penalty imposed spite factors may call less severe penalty choice life death risk unacceptable incompatible commands eighth fourteenth amendments opinion burger present case course relevant oklahoma statute permits defendant present evidence mitigating circumstance see okla tit nonetheless sentencing petitioner occurred one month lockett decided judge remarked following law consider fact young man violent background app although one reasonably argue extemporaneous remarks legal significance believe reasoning plurality opinion lockett compels remand risk death penalty imposed spite factors may call less severe penalty disagree suggestion dissent remanding case may serve useful purpose even though petitioner opportunity present evidence mitigation crime appears trial judge believed consider mitigating evidence imposing sentence event may speculate whether trial judge criminal appeals actually considered mitigating factors found insufficient offset aggravating circumstances whether difference opinion trial treatment petitioner evidence purely matter semantics suggested dissent woodson lockett require us remove legitimate basis finding ambiguity concerning factors actually considered trial chief justice may correct concluding opinion reflects decision justices imposed death penalty case sat trial judge see post however read opinion either altering opinions establishing constitutionality death penalty deciding issue whether constitution permits imposition death penalty individual committed murder age rather listing detail circumstances surrounding petitioner life sought emphasize variety mitigating information may considered trial deciding whether impose death penalty lesser sentence despite chief justice argument may consider lockett issue never fairly presented precedent consider merits issue wood georgia wrote even one considers question technically raised ample support remand required interests justice see authorizing require proceedings may circumstances trial failure consider mitigating evidence risks erroneous imposition death sentence plain violation lockett duty remand case resentencing chief justice burger justice white justice blackmun justice rehnquist join dissenting important outset remember narrow question granted certiorari took care limit consideration whether eighth fourteenth amendments prohibit imposition death sentence offender years old time committed offense review questions raised petition certiorari denied yet today goes beyond issue review sought granted decide case point raised first time petitioner brief claim neither presented oklahoma courts presented petition certiorari relying claim strains construct plausible legal theory support mandate relief granted lockett ohio considered whether ohio violated eighth fourteenth amendments sentencing lockett death statute narrowly limit ed sentencer discretion consider circumstances crime record character offender mitigating factors statute issue ohio rev code required trial impose death penalty upon lockett conviction aggravated murder specifications unless found victim induced facilitated offense unlikely lockett committed offense fact duress coercion strong provocation offense primarily product lockett psychosis mental deficiency plain although guilty felony homicide ohio law lockett played relatively minor role robbery resulted homicide actually perpetrated hand another lockett previously committed major offenses addition psychological report described prognosis rehabilitation favorable however since found acted duress suffer psychosis mentally deficient sentencing judge concluded alternative whether like law impose death penalty ibid held lockett eighth fourteenth amendments require sentencer precluded considering mitigating factor aspect defendant character record circumstances offense defendant proffers basis sentence less death emphasis original therefore found ohio statute flawed permit individualized consideration mitigating circumstances defendant comparatively minor role offense lack intent kill victim age however undertake dictate weight sentencing must ascribe various factors might categorized mitigating way suggest may substitute sentencing judgment state courts capital cases contrast ohio statute issue lockett oklahoma death penalty statute provides sentencing proceeding evidence may presented mitigating circumstances aggravating circumstances enumerated act okla tit emphasis added nless least one statutory aggravating circumstances enumerated act found exist beyond reasonable doubt found aggravating circumstance outweighed finding one mitigating circumstances death penalty shall imposed oklahoma statute thus contains provisions virtually identical cited approval lockett examples proper legislation highlighted ohio statute constitutional infirmities indeed contend oklahoma sentencing provisions inconsistent lockett moreover recognizes mandated oklahoma statute eddings permitted present substantial evidence sentencing hearing troubled youth ante attempt make violation lockett relies entirely single sentence trial opinion delivered bench close sentencing hearing discussing aggravated nature petitioner offense noting given serious consideration youth defendant particular crime committed trial judge said persuaded entirely fact youth sixteen years old heinous crime committed following law opinion consider fact young man violent background app parsing trial oral statement ignores fact judge delivering opinion extemporaneously bench expected frame utterance specificity precision might expected written opinion statute extemporaneous courtroom statements often models clarity give weight fact trial spent considerable time listening testimony probation officer various mental health professionals described eddings personality family history obviously meaningless exercise asserts judge believed barred matter law considering testimony yet even examined isolation trial statement best ambiguous easily read say taken account eddings unfortunate childhood consider either youth family background sufficient offset aggravating circumstances evidence revealed certainly nothing lockett preclude making determination oklahoma criminal appeals independently examined evidence aggravating mitigating factors presented eddings sentencing hearing reviewing testimony concerning eddings personality family background referring trial discussion mitigating circumstances stated eddings family history useful explaining behaved way excuse behavior emphasis added concludes criminal appeals also considered evidence mitigating tend support legal excuse criminal liability ante however reason read statements reflecting anything conclusion eddings background sufficiently mitigating factor tip scales given aggravating circumstances including eddings statements immediately killing criminal appeals assuredly opinion suggests hold evidence mitigation relevant see ibid indeed criminal appeals thought evidence irrelevant unlikely spent several paragraphs summarizing opinion offers reasonable explanation assumption criminal appeals considered bound unstated legal principle consider eddings background sure neither criminal appeals trial labeled eddings family background personality disturbance mitigating factors plain however purely matter semantics associated rational belief evidence mitigation must rise certain level persuasiveness said constitute mitigating circumstance contrast seems require potentially mitigating evidence described mitigating factor regardless weight insubstantiality evidence simply factor process weighing evidence aggravating circumstances yet opinion stands provides scant support result reached clearly choice oklahoma courts choice inconsistent lockett decision accord relatively little weight eddings family background emotional problems balanced circumstances crime potential future dangerousness ii never less painful duties pass capital cases case one however comes time every case must bite bullet whether remand serve useful purpose remains seen petitioner already given opportunity introduce whatever evidence considered relevant sentencing determination two oklahoma courts weighed evidence found insufficient offset aggravating circumstances shown state opinion makes clear justices join imposed death penalty sat sentencing authority see ante indeed sure done constitution authorize us determine whether sentences imposed state courts sentences consider appropriate authority decide whether constitutional eight amendment stops far short suggesting constitutional proscription imposition death penalty person age murder committed last analysis forced conclude state courts must consider petitioner mitigating evidence weigh evidence aggravating circumstances weigh evidence ante sentencing proceedings case sense inconsistent lockett ohio decide sole issue granted certiorari affirm judgment struggles demonstrate question whether decisions consistent decision lockett properly us ante argues petitioner lockett claim somehow inherent general assertion death penalty excessive however obvious petitioner failed present question addresses also never fairly presented lockett argument state courts afforded first opportunity apply controlling legal principles facts bearing upon constitutional claim picard connor indeed petitioner concedes much admitting lockett error enumerated argued appeal oklahoma criminal appeals brief petitioner case evidence showed lockett waited getaway car three companions robbed store robbery proprietor fatally wounded lockett charged aggravated murder two specifications aggravating circumstances murder committed purpose escaping detection apprehension trial punishment aggravated robbery murder committed committing attempting commit fleeing immediately committing attempting commit aggravated robbery see ohio rev code ironic petition certiorari filed oklahoma criminal appeals petitioner asserted oklahoma sentencing scheme constitutionally deficient mitigating circumstances may considered statutorily defined limited emphasis added although think immaterial correct decision case worth noting overstates oversimplifies evidence presented eddings sentencing hearing example twice characterizes testimony indicating time crime eddings mental emotional development level several years age ante dietsche psychologist testified forced extrapolate wechsler adult intelligence scale place petitioner mental age years months however said mental age meaning since mental age concepts break fourteen sixteen years age went state opinion eddings intelligence adult app emphasis added describing single interview petitioner awaiting trial murder charges rettig sociologist said petitioner responses appeared several years chronological age qualif ied answer however noting petitioner great deal constraint atmosphere saw finally gagliano psychiatrist opined basis interview petitioner attorney present refused allow questioning petitioner mental status day shooting time petitioner pulled trigger acted seven year old seeking revenge rebellion stepfather policeman gagliano also willing state categorically basis single interview without reference results psychological testing eddings eddings preordained commit murder time parents divorced five sort determinist approach rejected overwhelming majority psychiatrists even clear trial meant eddings violent background example eddings probation officer testified eddings problems fighting school charged assault intent great bodily harm state seems concede however probably referring least part eddings family history see brief respondent inference drawn consider petitioner juvenile record family life mitigating circumstances emphasis added cf tr oral arg remark ambiguous interpreted mean trial going consider juvenile previous juvenile record missouri extensive hand opinion concedes petitioner youth given serious consideration mitigating circumstance although age time offense tend support legal excuse criminal responsibility eddings companions informed officer patrol car approaching eddings responded mother pig tried stop going blow away app choice necessarily unreasonable one notes vidence difficult family history emotional disturbance typically introduced defendants mitigation ante one might even surprised person capable brutal unprovoked killing police officer suffer sort personality disorder indeed dietsche testified eddings sociopathic antisocial personality see ante estimated criminal element test sociopathic antisocial app dietsche defined antisocial personalities individuals without usual type companions loyalties requently selfish impulsive showing little line responsibility concern needs wants others hav ing little line guilt remorse although describes dietsche testimony indicating approximately youths suffering disorder grew aged ante dietsche fact describing study thought subsequently discredited app even study however concluded grew disorder age type assaultive type ibid recent study estimated sociopathic persons treatable study initial participants successfully treated literally thousands hours therapy thus characterization eddings sociopath may connote little egocentric concerned desires unremorseful propensity criminal conduct unlikely respond well conventional psychiatric treatment hardly significant mitigating factors see blocker app nn nn burger concurring result speaks eddings severe emotional disturbance ante see also ante appears referring primarily testimony eddings sociopath gagliano rather fantastic speculation concerning eddings dissociation time crime see supra opinion exemplifies proposition occurrence crime functions powerful impetus search theory explain see szasz psychiatry ethics criminal law colum rev