Last month, a jury of her neighbors spared Susan Smith the death penalty and sentenced her instead to life in prison for drowning her two young sons.

Before sentencing Mr. Johnson, Judge Hoffman said, "The jury has spared your life."

His lead lawyer, David A. Ruhnke, expressed confidence that the jury would spare his client's life.

Three weeks ago, in the same courthouse, a jury spared the life of a drug-dealing gang member whom they had convicted of a cocaine-related murder.

"I'm hoping the jury spares his life," he said.

"It really becomes a study in fallibility and humility that allows juries to convict people but convinces juries to spare their lives."

A jury ultimately spared Martinez, sentencing him instead to life imprisonment.

Mitigation specialists assist defense lawyers by investigating and presenting evidence to persuade juries to spare the defendant's life.

By convicting the brothers of a lesser offense, the jury of three men and three women spared the Kings a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.

She was found guilty, but the jury spared her from the death penalty due to her landlord having not taken enough care to lock his valuables away.