Ring v. Arizona, 536 U.S. 584, 10 (2002)

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Cite as: 536 U. S. 584 (2002)

Opinion of the Court

stances." 2 The State's law authorizes the judge to sentence the defendant to death only if there is at least one aggravating circumstance and "there are no mitigating circumstances sufficiently substantial to call for leniency." § 13-703(F).

Between Ring's trial and sentencing hearing, Greenham pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and armed robbery. He stipulated to a 271/2-year sentence and agreed to cooperate with the prosecution in the cases against Ring and Ferguson. Tr. 35-37 (Oct. 9, 1997).

Called by the prosecution at Ring's sentencing hearing, Greenham testified that he, Ring, and Ferguson had been planning the robbery for several weeks before it occurred. According to Greenham, Ring "had I guess taken the role as leader because he laid out all the tactics." Id., at 39. On the day of the robbery, Greenham said, the three watched the armored van pull up to the mall. Id., at 45. When Magoch opened the door to smoke a cigarette, Ring shot him with a rifle equipped with a homemade silencer. Id., at 42, 44-45. Greenham then pushed Magoch's body aside and drove the van away. Id., at 45. At Ring's direction, Greenham drove to the church parking lot, where he and Ring transferred the money to Ring's truck. Id., at 46, 48. Later, Greenham recalled, as the three robbers were dividing up the money,

"8. The defendant has been convicted of one or more other homicides, as defined in § 13-1101, which were committed during the commission of the offense.

"9. The defendant was an adult at the time the offense was committed or was tried as an adult and the murdered person was under fifteen years of age or was seventy years of age or older.

"10. The murdered person was an on duty peace officer who was killed in the course of performing his official duties and the defendant knew, or should have known, that the murdered person was a peace officer."

2 The statute enumerates certain mitigating circumstances, but the enumeration is not exclusive. "The court shall consider as mitigating circumstances any factors proffered by the defendant or the state which are relevant in determining whether to impose a sentence less than death . . . ." §13-703(H).

593

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