Supreme Court of the United States June 19, 1997, 96-6867 (O'Dell v. Netherland)

Justice Thomas

delivered the opinion of the Court.

This case presents the question whether the rule set out in Simmons v. South Carolina, 512 U. S. 154 (1994) — which requires that a capital defendant be permitted to inform his sentencing jury that he is parole ineligible if the prosecution argues that he presents a future danger — was “new” within the meaning of Teague v. Lane, 489 U. S.