Robards v. State
Annotate this CaseAfter a jury trial, Defendant was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder. The jury recommended the death penalty for each murder by a vote of seven to five. The trial court sentenced Defendant to death. The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant’s convictions and sentences of death. Defendant then filed a timely motion for postconviction relief, raising six claims. The circuit court denied the motion for postconviction relief after an evidentiary hearing. The Supreme Court affirmed the denial of relief as to Defendant’s ineffective assistance of guilt phase counsel claim but vacated Defendant’s sentences of death, holding that the Hurst error in Defendant’s case was not harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. Remanded for a new penalty phase proceeding.
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