Lenz v. Commonwealth

In this appeal, we review the capital murder conviction and sentence of death imposed upon Michael William Lenz.

I. Proceedings

The defendant was tried before a jury on an indictment charging him with the capital murder of Brent H. Parker in violation of Code § 18.2-31(3), “[t]he willful, deliberate, and premeditated killing of any person by a prisoner confined in a state or local correctional facility.” At the time of Parker’s death, the defendant and Parker were inmates at the Augusta Correctional Center. The jury found the defendant guilty of capital murder.

In the penalty phase of the…