State v. White
132 Ohio St. 3d 344
| Ohio | 2012Background
- White Jr. murdered Trooper James Gross on January 19, 1996; convicted of aggravated murder with capital specifications and sentenced to death; conviction and death sentence upheld on direct appeal; federal habeas relief in 2005 required resentencing; RC 2929.06(B) authorizes new penalty hearing with a new jury when death sentence set aside for sentencing-phase error; Williams (2004) limited retroactivity prior to HB 184; HB 184 (2005) added RC 2929.06(E) retroactivity for certain offenders; White sought to bar retroactive application and challenged whether a new penalty phase could reimpose death on remand.
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether RC 2929.06(B) applies to White on remand. | White: applies only to sentencing-phase errors; not applicable here. | White; however, majority holds statute applies when error infects sentencing phase. | RC 2929.06(B) applies to remand where error infects sentencing phase; new jury permissible. |
| Retroactivity of RC 2929.06(B) under the Ohio Constitution. | Retroactive application would violate the Retroactivity Clause. | Statute expressly retroactive via RC 2929.06(E). | RC 2929.06(B) is remedial and retroactive under the Retroactivity Clause. |
| Ex Post Facto concerns under the U.S. Constitution. | Applying RC 2929.06(B) increases punishment or alters legal rules retroactively. | Death penalty existed in 1996; retroactive procedures do not increase punishment. | Not an ex post facto violation; does not increase punishment. |
| Double jeopardy implications of retroactive resentencing. | Retroactive resentence with new jury could violate double jeopardy if death penalty already determined. | No acquittal on the merits; resentence permissible. | No double jeopardy violation; death sentence not acquitted. |
Key Cases Cited
- State v. Penix, 32 Ohio St.3d 369 (1987) (held death sentence set aside due to penalty-phase error; limits on remand sentencing)
- State v. Williams, 103 Ohio St.3d 112 (2004) (held RC 2929.06(B) not retroactive for pre-October 16, 1996 offenses absent express retroactivity)
- Evans v. Commonwealth, 228 Va.468 (1984) (amendment permitting new jury on remand upheld against ex post facto challenge)
- Calder v. Bull, 3 U.S. (3 Dali.) 386 (1798) (establishes ex post facto categories)
- Stogner v. California, 539 U.S. 607 (2003) (extended limitations retroactivity analysis for ex post facto)
- Penix v. State, 32 Ohio St.3d 369 (1987) (see Penix above)
- Hancock v. State, 108 Ohio St.3d 57 (2006) (double jeopardy in sentencing context)
- Matz v. Brown, 37 Ohio St.3d 279 (1988) (acquired rights and finality considerations in retroactivity)
- Kneisley v. Lattimer-Stevens Co., 40 Ohio St.3d 354 (1988) (jury-trial rights and retroactivity discussion)
- Evans v. Thompson, 881 F.2d 117 (1989) (Fourth Circuit on ex post facto regarding remand procedures)