State v. Rankovich

GORDON, Chief Justice.

A jury convicted appellant, George Harry Rankovich, of one count of first-degree murder. In view of the stipulation by the State prior to trial that the death penalty was not appropriate, the trial court sentenced Rankovich to life imprisonment without the possibility of release for 25 years, pursuant to A.R.S. § 13-703. Ran-kovich challenges his conviction on the following grounds:(1) The trial court erred in not excluding evidence regarding appellant’s race, religion, and national origin;(2) The prosecutor’s misconduct warrants the granting of a new trial;(3) The trial…