2023 CODE OF GEORGIA
Title 17 - CRIMINAL PROCEDURE (§§ 17-1-1 — 17-21-4)
Chapter 10 - SENTENCE AND PUNISHMENT (§§ 17-10-1 — 17-10-71)
Article 2 - DEATH PENALTY GENERALLY (§§ 17-10-30 — 17-10-44)
Section 17-10-30 - Procedure for imposition of death penalty generally

• (a) The death penalty may be imposed for the offenses of aircraft hijacking or treason in any case.

• (b) In all cases of other offenses for which the death penalty may be authorized, the judge shall consider, or he shall include in his instructions to the jury for it to consider, any mitigating circumstances or aggravating circumstances otherwise authorized by law and any of the following statutory aggravating circumstances which may be supported by the evidence:
  • (1) The offense of murder, rape, armed robbery, or kidnapping was committed by a person with a prior record of conviction for a capital felony;
  • (2) The offense of murder, rape, armed robbery, or kidnapping was committed while the offender was engaged in the commission of another capital felony or aggravated battery, or the offense of murder was committed while the offender was engaged in the commission of burglary in any degree or arson in the first degree;
  • (3) The offender, by his act of murder, armed robbery, or kidnapping, knowingly created a great risk of death to more than one person in a public place by means of a weapon or device which would normally be hazardous to the lives of more than one person;
  • (4) The offender committed the offense of murder for himself or another, for the purpose of receiving money or any other thing of monetary value;
  • (5) The murder of a judicial officer, former judicial officer, district attorney or solicitor-general, or former district attorney, solicitor, or solicitor-general was committed during or because of the exercise of his or her official duties;
  • (6) The offender caused or directed another to commit murder or committed murder as an agent or employee of another person;
  • (7) The offense of murder, rape, armed robbery, or kidnapping was outrageously or wantonly vile, horrible, or inhuman in that it involved torture, depravity of mind, or an aggravated battery to the victim;
  • (8) The offense of murder was committed against any peace officer, corrections employee, or firefighter while engaged in the performance of his official duties;
  • (9) The offense of murder was committed by a person in, or who has escaped from, the lawful custody of a peace officer or place of lawful confinement;
  • (10) The murder was committed for the purpose of avoiding, interfering with, or preventing a lawful arrest or custody in a place of lawful confinement, of himself or another;
  • (11) The offense of murder, rape, or kidnapping was committed by a person previously convicted of rape, aggravated sodomy, aggravated child molestation, or aggravated sexual battery; or
  • (12) The murder was committed during an act of domestic terrorism.

• (c) The statutory instructions as determined by the trial judge to be warranted by the evidence shall be given in charge and in writing to the jury for its deliberation. The jury, if its verdict is a recommendation of death, shall designate in writing, signed by the foreman of the jury, the aggravating circumstance or circumstances which it found beyond a reasonable doubt. In nonjury cases the judge shall make such designation. Except in cases of treason or aircraft hijacking, unless at least one of the statutory aggravating circumstances enumerated in subsection (b) of this Code section is so found, the death penalty shall not be imposed.

Amended by 2017 Ga. Laws 208,§ 4-1, eff. 7/1/2017.

Amended by 2012 Ga. Laws 709,§ VIII-8-11, eff. 7/1/2012.

Amended by 2006 Ga. Laws 571,§ 22, eff. 7/1/2006.

Amended by 2002 Ga. Laws 787, § 4, eff. 7/1/2002.

Amended by 2002 Ga. Laws 952, § 11, eff. 7/1/2002.