State v. Corbitt

The majority today holds that a defendant may be denied the opportunity to receive a reduced sentence solely because he exercised his constitutional right to have his guilt determined by a jury of his peers.' It now holds that a person who stands trial and’ is convicted will receive a mandatory life sentence even though 'that- same-individual might have been eligible for a suspended sentence if he had admitted his guilt and waived his rights.I believe that this decision calls into question some of óur most basic constitutional guarantees, including a -person’s right to a jury trial, Duncan v.…