Ramdass v. Commonwealth

In September 1992, Bobby Lee Ramdass was indicted for the murder of Mohammad Z. Kayani in the commission of a robbery while armed with a deadly weapon, the robbery of Kayani, and the use of a firearm during Kayani’s murder. Prior to a jury trial, Ramdass pled guilty to the robbery of Kayani and, over Ramdass’s objection, the court deferred action on his guilty plea.

Thereafter, in a bifurcated trial conducted under the provisions of Code §§ 19.2-264.3 and -264.4, a jury convicted Ramdass of the capital murder of Kayani and fixed his punishment at death predicated upon a finding of “future…