16-3-20 – 16-3-20 | South Carolina Law

SECTION 16-3-20. Punishment for murder; separate sentencing proceeding when death penalty sought. (A) A person who is convicted of or pleads guilty to murder must be punished by death, or by a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment for thirty years to life. If the State seeks the death penalty and a statutory aggravating circumstance is found beyond a reasonable doubt pursuant to subsections (B) and (C), and a recommendation of death is not made, the trial judge must impose a sentence of life im