Pope v. Commonwealth

Carlton Jerome Pope was convicted by a jury of capital murder (Code § 18.2-31(d)), robbery, malicious wounding, attempted robbery, and four counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony. At the conclusion of the first stage of the bifurcated trial, the jury fixed his punishment at life imprisonment for robbery, ten years for attempted robbery, twenty years for malicious wounding, and four years for each of the four firearm offenses. At the penalty stage, the jury heard evidence of the defendant’s history and evidence in mitigation. After further deliberation, the jury returned a…