Benjamin Rauf, Defendant-Appellant v. State of Delaware, Plaintiff-Appellee

Summary

The Court held that Delaware's capital sentencing scheme violates the Sixth Amendment because it permits a judge, rather than a jury, to find aggravating circumstances, determine that aggravating circumstances outweigh mitigating circumstances, and impose death without the required unanimous jury findings beyond a reasonable doubt. The Court further held that the unconstitutional provisions could not be severed from the statutory scheme and left any decision to reinstate capital punishment and establish procedures to the General Assembly. Chief Justice Strine, concurring, agreed with the result and emphasized that the jury's constitutional role extends through the ultimate life-or-death determination; Justice Vaughn, dissenting, would have upheld the statute under a narrower understanding of the Sixth Amendment.