Busso-Estopellan v. Hon. mroz/state

Justice TIMMER,

opinion of the Court.

¶ 1 During the penalty phase of a capital trial, “the defendant and the state may present any evidence that is relevant to the determination of whether there is mitigation that is sufficiently substantial to call for le niency,” A.R.S. § 13-752(G), including any aspect of the defendant’s character, A.R.S. § 13-751(G). Today we hold that a capital defendant’s pretrial offer to plead guilty in exchange for a natural life sentence is admissible to demonstrate the defendant’s acceptance of responsibility for the murder, a non-statutory mitigating circumstance.

I.…