Oscar Doster was found guilty ear­li­er this year of cap­i­tal mur­der in the course of a rob­bery in Alabama. Doster claimed that his co-defen­dant actu­al­ly com­mit­ted the mur­der. The jury unan­i­mous­ly rec­om­mend­ed that Doster be sen­tenced to life with­out parole. In Alabama, unlike most oth­er death penal­ty states, the judge is allowed to over­ride a jury’s rec­om­men­da­tion for life. Typically in oth­er states, even one juror’s vote for a life sen­tence will pre­vent the court from impos­ing a death sen­tence. Judge Ashley McKathan reject­ed the rec­om­men­da­tion of all 12 jurors that Doster’s life be spared.

(Andalusia Star News, Nov. 22, 2006). 

See Arbitrariness and Sentencing.

See also DPIC’s report, Blind Justice.

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