Commonwealth v. Kennedy

OPINION

Justice SAYLOR.

This is a direct appeal from a sentence of death imposed upon Appellant, Christopher Kennedy, for the first-degree murder of Michael Richardson.

Background

On January 19, 2003, Appellant, James Richardson, his brother Jamaar Richardson, Lavar Brown, and Ronald Vann planned to rob a drug store at which Jamaar Richardson worked. 1 According to plan, Appellant entered the store armed with a .44 caliber revolver, approached Mr. Richardson, who was the manager, and shot him in the leg. The store security guard and cashiers fled the building, and Appellant’s coconspirators also…