State v. Barnes

In this case, as in all death penalty appeals, this court is faced with a number of tasks. First, we must answer the specific issues raised by appellant regarding the proceedings below. Next, we must, pursuant to R.C. 2929.05, independently weigh the aggravating circumstances in this case against any factors which mitigate against the imposition of the death penalty. Finally, we must independently consider whether appellant’s sentence is disproportionate to the penalty imposed in similar cases.

I

Appellant first contends that he was denied Eighth and Fourteenth Amendment protections by the…