Roberts v. Louisiana

Petitioner Harry Roberts was indicted, tried, and convicted of the first-degree murder of Police Officer Dennis Mclnemey, who at the time of his death was engaged in the performance *634of his lawful duties. As required by a Louisiana statute, petitioner was sentenced to death. La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 14:30 (2) (1974) ,1 On appeal, the Supreme Court of Louisiana affirmed his conviction and sentence. 331 So. 2d 11 (1976). Roberts then filed a petition for a writ of certiorari in this Court. The petition presented the question whether Louisiana’s mandatory death penalty could be imposed pursuant to…