Ex Parte Watkins

Darryl Travis Watkins was convicted of capital murder and was sentenced to death pursuant to § 13A-5-31(a)(2), Code 1975. He appealed to the Court of Criminal Appeals, which affirmed his conviction and sentence and later overruled his application for rehearing), Watkins v. State, 509 So.2d 1056 (Ala.Cr.App. 1983). The defendant then petitioned this Court for a writ of certiorari, raising three issues for our review: 1) the constitutionality of the death penalty statute under which he was sentenced; 2) whether the deceased was a "victim" of the robbery; and 3) whether the state's failure to…