A jury must decide whether a defendant, already judged guilty, should receive the death penalty. They are told that the murder of the young victim was done in an especially heinous matter; the defendant raped, murdered, and then mutilated the victim. This fact could argue for the application of the death penalty. This is an example of a(n)_______________ factor.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Aggravating factors are circumstances that increase the severity or culpability of a criminal act, including elements that make a crime more heinous or reprehensible, such as the brutality of a murder.

A Jury Must Decide Whether a Defendant, Already Judged Guilty