Thompson v. Secretary for Department of Corrections

William Lee Thompson (“Petitioner”) appeals the district court’s denial of his petition for relief pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254. Petitioner contends that his Eighth and Fourteenth Amendment rights were violated by the state’s use of non-statutory aggravating factors during the penalty phase of his trial and by an alleged doubling of aggravating factors. Petitioner also maintains that his execution after serving over 30 years on death row constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. We affirm the district court’s decision.

Background

The details of Petitioner’s crime and the case’s procedural…