State of Missouri, Respondent v. Earl M. Forrest, Appellant

Summary

The Court affirmed Forrest’s convictions and three death sentences after rejecting claims concerning evidentiary rulings, closing arguments, jury instructions, juror qualifications, the sufficiency and consistency of aggravating-circumstance findings, and the constitutionality of the first-degree-murder statute. It held that any evidentiary or argument errors were harmless or did not constitute plain error, the challenged instructions and information were legally sufficient, and the evidence supported the aggravating circumstances and proportionality of the sentences.