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Terms Used In Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure 905.3

  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.

A sentence of death shall not be imposed unless the jury finds beyond a reasonable doubt that at least one statutory aggravating circumstance exists and, after consideration of any mitigating circumstances, determines that the sentence of death should be imposed.  The court shall instruct the jury concerning all of the statutory mitigating circumstances.  The court shall also instruct the jury concerning the statutory aggravating circumstances but may decline to instruct the jury on any aggravating circumstance not supported by evidence.  The court may provide the jury with a list of the mitigating and aggravating circumstances upon which the jury was instructed.

Added by Acts 1976, No. 694, §1; Acts 1985, No. 231, §1; Acts 1988, No. 779, §1, eff. July 18, 1988.