State v. Michael Apelt

OPINION

MARTONE, Justice.

The defendant, Michael Apelt, was found guilty of premeditated first degree murder and conspiracy to commit first degree murder, and he was sentenced to death. The murder conviction and death sentence were automatically appealed to this court, see Rules 26.15 and 31.2(b), Ariz.R.Crim.P., and A.R.S. § 13-4031, and defendant appealed his conspiracy conviction and sentence. In addition, we granted review of the denial of defendant’s petition for post-conviction relief and consolidated it with the appeal. We now affirm defendant’s convictions and sentences.

I. BACKGROUND

In…