Sheriff, Clark County v. Hanks

OPINION

By the Court,

Gunderson, C. J.:

This appeal challenges a district court order entered upon respondent Clinton Hanks’ petition for habeas corpus, dismissing a charge of “capital murder” allegedly perpetrated by “executing a contract to kill.”

Nevada’s “capital murder” statute, which our 1973 Legislature enacted in attempted response to Furman v. Georgia, 408 U.S. 238 (1972), undertakes to make the death penalty mandatory for five kinds of murder, including “executing a contract to kill.” After so declaring, NRS 200.030(1) (c) further recites that “contract to kill” means “an agreement,…