# People v. Leach

> California Supreme Court · December 31, 1985 · 41 Cal. 3d 92

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/9561974

## Case

- **Full name:** The PEOPLE, Plaintiff and Respondent, v. MICHAEL TODD LEACH, Defendant and Respondent
- **Court:** California Supreme Court
- **Decided:** December 31, 1985
- **Citations:** 41 Cal. 3d 92; 221 Cal. Rptr. 826; 710 P.2d 893; 1985 Cal. LEXIS 443
- **Precedential status:** Published
- **Opinion:** Concurrence by Broussard
- **Judges:** Kaus, Mosk, Bird, Broussard
- **Cited by:** 48 later opinions in the Frix Law Library

## Citator (automated)

- No negative treatment found by the automated citator. That is not the same as a confirmation that the case is good law; read the citing cases.
- Full citator and citing cases: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/9561974

## Opinion text

BROUSSARD, J.
I concur in the plurality opinion of Justice Kaus in all but two matters. First, in my opinion the torture-murder special circumstance falls, not because of incorrect jury instructions, but because the underlying statutory provision violates the Eighth Amendment. (See People v. Davenport (1985) post, 247, 290 [ 221 Cal.Rptr. 794 , 710 P.2d. 861 ] (cone. opn. of Bird, C. J.), id. at p. 295 (cone. opn. of Broussard, J.).) Second, I would rest reversal of the penalty judgment not only on the “no sympathy” instruction discussed by *115 the plurality, but also on the court’s erroneous instruction respecting the Governor’s power to commute a sentence of life imprisonment without possibility of parole. (See People v. Ramos (1984) 37 Cal.3d 136, 153-159 [ 207 Cal.Rptr. 800 , 689 P.2d 430 ].)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/9561974. Public record. Not legal advice.