State v. Moeller

MILLER, Chief Justice.

[¶ 1] In this appeal, Donald Moeller challenges his conviction of first-degree rape and first-degree murder. He was sentenced to *468twenty-five years in prison on the rape charge. He received a sentence of death by lethal injection for the murder conviction.1

[¶ 2] This appeal involves, among other issues, a challenge to South Dakota’s death penalty which was reenacted in 1979. As set forth in detail later herein, we uphold the constitutionality of this state’s death penalty statutes. We reverse the convictions and remand, because prior bad acts evidence was improperly…