A jury must decide whether a defendant, already judged guilty, should receive the death penalty. They are told that the defendant committed the crime after years of physical abuse, a fact that could argue for a sentence less than death. This is an example of a(n)_______________ factor.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Mitigating factors are circumstances that might decrease the severity of the sentence, such as a history of abuse, which could lead to a lesser sentence than the death penalty.

A Jury Must Decide Whether a Defendant, Already Judged Guilty