Cloman v. State

Billy James Cloman and Julian Pernell Turner appeal from death sentences imposed by the district court of Albany County, Wyoming, after return of four separate guilty verdicts relating to the deaths of Lloyd Witt and Ray Davis, residents of Laramie County, Wyoming. Among other assignments of error the defendants attack the constitutionality of those provisions of the statute mandating the death penalty in first degree murder convictions.

On August 10,. 1974, the date the verdicts were rendered the relevant parts of § 6-54, W.S.1957, J.975 Cum.Supp., read as follows:

“(a) Whoever purposely and…