Rogers v. Oregon

How later courts describe this case

• finding no prejudice in admission of certain evidence from Commonwealth witness in guilt phase via a detective’s testimony that went toward establishing aggravating factor where jury ultimately did not find this aggravating factor
• sexual mutilation supported finding that defendant had killed victim in course of sexually abusing her
• reference to defendant’s incarceration did not warrant mistrial where statement was neither elicited nor exploited by Commonwealth and jury was not informed of reason for incarceration
• Article I, section 16, standard for determining whether punishment is cruel and unusual is the same as Eighth Amendment standard
• applying different method of analysis to Article I, section 16
• no abuse of discretion when the record supported the trial court's finding, after the questioning of a juror who had been contacted by the mother of a victim, "that [the] juror * * * was not contaminated by the contact and could still serve as an impartial juror"