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Sattazahn v. Pennsylvania November 4, 2002 (01-7574) return to case listing Case Summary Sattazahn was convicted of numerous crimes, including murder, and was sentenced to life imprisonment as a matter of law by the court after the capital sentencing jury deadlocked and was unable to reach a sentencing verdict. On appeal, the trial court's decision was affirmed in part and reversed in part. Sattazahn's case was retried and Sattazahn was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. Sattazahn now challenges the state's seeking of the death penalty in the seco nd trial, where the judge imposed a life sentence after the jury deadlocked on the sentence in the first trial, as a violation of the Due Process Clause and the Double Jeopardy Clause. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania held that imposition of the death penalty on retrial did not violate Sattazahn's constitutional rights. The decision of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is found at 763 A.2d 359, 563 Pa. 533. To see the opinion of the lower court, click here. PREDICTED OUTCOME ACTUAL OUTCOME Forecasting Model Expert One Expert Two Expert Three 6-3 to Affirm 6-3 to Affirm 8-1 to Affirm 5-4 to Reverse 5-4 to Affirm VOTING TO REVERSE Stevens Souter Ginsburg Stevens Souter Ginsburg Stevens Stevens O'Connor Souter Ginsburg Breyer Stevens Souter Ginsburg Breyer VOTING TO AFFIRM Rehnquist O'Connor Scalia Kennedy Breyer Rehnquist O'Connor Scalia Kennedy Thomas Breyer Rehnquist O'Connor Scalia Kennedy Souter Thomas Ginsburg Breyer Rehnquist Scalia Kennedy Thomas Rehnquist O'Connor Scalia Kennedy Thomas return to case listing