State v. Nichols

ESPINOSA, Judge.

¶ 1 The state of Arizona and Scott Nordstrom, the defendant in the underlying criminal action, filed cross petitions for special action relief challenging the respondent judge’s determination of what evidence may be admitted during the aggravation phase of Nordstrom’s sentencing. For the following reasons, we accept jurisdiction of the state’s petition but deny relief. We decline jurisdiction of Nordstrom’s petition.

Background

¶ 2 In 1997, a jury found Nordstrom guilty of six counts of first-degree murder, one count of first-degree attempted murder, and several counts each of…