North Carolina V. Jerome Hamlet

The defendant brings forward assignments of error relating to the guilt-innocence determination phase and to the sentencing phase of his trial. We find no prejudicial error in the guilt-innocence determination phase of the defendant's trial. After a careful review of the facts and our prior decisions, we hold, however, that the jury should not have been permitted to consider whether the murder was "especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel," under N.C.G.S. 15A-2000(e)(9). Since this was the only aggravating circumstance found by the jury, we vacate the sentence of death and impose a life sentence.