Gaskins v. McKellar/Opinion of the Court

Adhering to my view that the death penalty is in all circumstances cruel and unusual punishment prohibited by the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments, Gregg v. Georgia, 428 U.S. 153, 231, 96 S.Ct. 2909, 2973, 49 L.Ed.2d 859 (1976), I would grant certiorari and vacate the death sentence in this case.

Justice BLACKMUN would grant the petition for a writ of certiorari, vacate the judgment and remand the case to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit for further consideration in light of Yates v. Evatt, 500 U.S., 111 S.Ct. 1884, --- L.Ed.2d (1991).