Supreme Court of Kansas March 7, 1997, 74,361 (State v. Scales)

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Davis, J.:

This case arises from the January 29, 1995, homicide of Kevin Covington in Reno County. The question we must decide on grant of review is whether the defendant was denied a fair sentencing hearing because of the court’s ex parte meeting with the family of the homicide victim and because of the court’s ex parte consideration of a petition