United States v. Snarr, et al, No. 10-40525 (5th Cir. 2013)
Annotate this CaseDefendants were sentenced to death after being convicted of murdering a fellow prison inmate. Defendants appealed their sentences and convictions. The court held that the district court did not abuse its discretion in dismissing five prospective jurors who expressed reservations about their ability to impose capital punishment. The evidence overwhelmingly demonstrated premeditation and in view of this evidence, a jury could not rationally have found defendants guilty of second degree murder, while acquitting them of first degree murder. Accordingly, the district court did not abuse its discretion in denying defendants' request for a lesser-included-offense instruction. A rational juror could have concluded that defendants intended to inflict, and in fact did inflict, greater abuse than that necessary to cause the victim's death. A rational juror could have concluded that defendants posed a future threat to the safety of other inmates or prison staff based on, inter alia, defendants' pattern of violence and institutional misconduct, as well as defendants' attack on the victim and the penitentiary's correctional officers. Defendants have not demonstrated specific prejudice from the denial of their motion to sever. The court addressed defendants' remaining arguments and affirmed their convictions and capital sentences in all respects.
The court issued a subsequent related opinion or order on January 29, 2013.
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