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Death Penalty Case Chart

AMA Commentary

This chart provides a chronological and comparative view of the California Supreme Court's voting record on the guilt, special circumstances, and penalty phase of each case.

    Conviction Special Circumstances Penalty  
  People v. Affirmed Reversed Affirmed Reversed Affirmed Reversed Current Status
1. Teron
(Jan. 1979)
7-2 -- -- 6-1 -- -- Life
2. Frierson
(Aug. 1979)
-- 7-0 -- -- -- -- Retrial pending
3. Velasquez
(Feb. 1980)
7-0 -- 7-0 -- -- 4-3 Life without parole
4. Lanphear
(April 1980)
7-0 -- 7-0 -- -- 6-1 Life without parole
5. Green
(April 1980)
7-0 -- -- 4-3 -- -- Life
6. Thompson
(June 1980)
7-0 -- -- 7-0 -- -- Life
7. Jackson
(June 1980)
5-2 -- 4-3 -- 4-3 -- Death row
8. Chadd
(Jan. 1981)
-- 4-2 -- -- -- -- Life without parole
9. Harris
(Feb. 1981)
4-2 -- 4-2 -- 4-2 -- Death row
10. Murtishaw
(July 1981)
7-0 -- 7-0 -- -- 6-1 Death sentence reinstated at retrial; automatic appeal pending
11. Ramos
(Jan. 1982)
7-0 -- 7-0 -- -- 6-1 Retrial pending
12. Haskett
(Feb. 1982)
7-0 -- 7-0 -- -- 6-1 Death sentence reinstated at retrial; automatic appeal pending
13. Hogan
(July 1982)
-- 4-2 -- -- -- -- Life without parole
14. Stankewitz
(Aug. 1982)
-- 4-2 -- -- -- -- Death sentence reinstated at retrial; automatic appeal pending
15. Arcega
(Sept. 1982)
-- 5-2 -- -- -- 6-1 Life without parole
16. Gzikowski
(Oct. 1982)
-- 7-0 -- -- -- -- Life
17. Robertson
(Dec. 1982)
7-0 -- 7-0 -- -- 4-3 Death sentence reinstated at retrial; automatic appeal pending
18. Mozingo
(Nov. 1983)
-- 7-0 -- -- -- -- Retrial pending
19. Easley
(Nov. 1983)
7-0 -- 7-0 -- -- 6-1 Death sentence reinstated at retrial; automatic appeal pending
20. Joseph
(Nov. 1983)
-- 7-0 -- -- -- 6-1 25 years to life
21. Mroczko
(Dec. 1983)
-- 7-0 -- -- -- -- Life
22. Fields
(Dec. 1983)
4-2 -- 4-2 -- 4-2 -- Death row
23. L. Harris
(April 1984)
-- 4-2 -- -- -- -- Life without parole
24. Lanphear
(April 1984)
Previously Affirmed Previously Affirmed -- 5-1 Life without parole
25. Alcala
(Aug. 1984)
-- 5-1 -- -- -- -- Death sentence reinstated at retrial; automatic appeal pending
26. Whitt
(Aug. 1984)
7-0 -- -- 6-1 -- -- Death sentence reinstated at retrial; automatic appeal pending
27. Mattson
(Oct. 1984)
-- 4-2 -- -- -- -- Death sentence reinstated at retrial; automatic appeal pending
28. McDonald
(Nov. 1984)
-- 6-0 -- -- -- -- 17 years to life
29. Turner
(Nov. 1984)
6-0 -- -- 6-0 -- -- Retrial pending
30. Holt
(Nov. 1984)
-- 6-1 -- -- -- -- 28 years to life
31. Armendariz
(Dec. 1984)
-- 7-0 -- -- -- -- Retrial pending
32. Bigelow
(Dec. 1984)
-- 7-0 -- -- -- -- Retrial pending
33. Anderson
(Feb. 1985)
7-0 -- -- 6-1 -- -- Death sentence reinstated at retrial; automatic appeal pending
34. Memro
(June 1985)
-- 4-2 -- -- -- -- Retrial pending
35. Hayes
(June 1985)
7-0 -- -- 6-1 -- -- Retrial pending
36. Boyd
(June 1985)
6-0 -- -- 6-0 -- -- Retrial pending
37. Frank
(June 1985)
6-0 -- 6-0 -- -- 4-2 Retrial pending
38. Chavez
(Oct. 1985)
6-1 -- -- 7-0 -- -- 28 years to life
39. Montiel
(Oct. 1985)
7-0 -- 7-0 -- -- 7-0 Retrial pending
40. Brown
(Nov. 1985)
7-0 -- 7-0 -- -- 5-2 Retrial pending
41. Guerra
(Nov. 1985)
7-0 -- -- 6-1 -- -- Retrial pending
42. Frierson
(Nov. 1985)
7-0 -- 7-0 -- -- 5-2 Retrial pending
43. Massie
(Dec. 1985)
-- 5-2 -- -- -- -- Retrial pending
44. Fuentes
(Dec. 1985)
7-0 -- -- 5-2 -- -- Retrial pending
45. Croy
(Dec. 1985)
-- 5-2 -- -- -- -- Retrial pending
46. B. Hamilton
(Dec. 1985)
7-0 -- -- 5-2 -- -- Retrial pending
47. B.R. Hamilton
(Nov. 1985)
7-0 -- -- 4-3 -- -- Rehearing granted by California Supreme Court
48. Silbertson
(Dec. 1985)
7-0 -- -- 5-2 -- -- Retrial pending
49. Leach
(Dec. 1985)
7-0 -- -- 5-2 -- -- Retrial pending
50. Davenport
(Dec. 1985)
6-0 -- 6-0 -- -- 5-1 Retrial pending
51. Deere
(Dec. 1985)
7-0 -- 7-0 -- -- 6-1 Death sentence reinstated at retrial; automatic appeal pending
52. Phillips
(Dec. 1985)
6-0 -- 6-0 -- -- 4-2 Retrial pending
53. Walker
(Dec. 1985)
6-0 -- 6-0 -- -- 4-2 Rehearing granted by California Supreme Court
54. Lucky
(Dec. 1985)
7-0 -- -- 4-3 -- -- Rehearing granted by California Supreme Court
55. Balderas
(Dec. 1985)
6-1 -- -- 5-2 -- -- Retrial pending
56. Burgener
(March 1986)
5-1 -- 5-1 -- -- 6-0 Retrial pending
57. Ratliff
(April 1986)
6-0 -- -- 5-1 -- -- Retrial pending
58. Smallwood
(Aug. 1986)
-- 4-3 -- -- -- -- Retrial pending
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