收回死刑复核权面临的难题及其破解

最高人民法院收回死刑复核权意义重大,但可能存在政治风险、职能难题、整体性问题和程序性障碍。应对难题的原则与对策:一是系统思维、综合治理。尤其强调观念的转变、审判独立性的保障以及死刑替代措施的跟进;二是逐步推进、有利有节;三是技术处理、区别对待;四是分级负责、责任下沉、责任明确。为此,必须完善死刑复核程序。包括准确界定最高法院复核责任,确定适当的复核审审理方式,限定复核时间,允许辩护律师与检察官参加复核程序等。必须完善死刑案件二审程序,包括实行开庭审理及有重点的全面审理方式,同时应当适当调整二审审理期限。还必须改革、完善直接影响死刑案件质量的相关制度,包括从多方面完善证据规则,改革审判委员会制度以及禁止再审改判死刑等。

Regaining the Review Power of Death Penalty

It is of great significance for the Supreme Court to take back the power of judicial review of death sentences,but it may also bring about such problems as political risks,functional problems,the unity problem and procedural barriers.There are several principles in tackling these problems:the first one is to comprehensively modify our ideology,especially the change of concepts,the guarantee of independent trial and decision,and substitute measures for death penalty;the second one is to enforce the policy progressively and rationally;the third one is to deal with different cases in different ways;the fourth one is to divide the responsibilities into different levels,and clarify the responsibilities of each level.For that purpose,we have to perfect the procedure for judicial review of death sentences,including precisely defining the responsibility of the Supreme Court to review death sentences,determining appropriate modes of review,prescribing the time limit of review,allowing the participation of defense lawyers and prosecutors,etc.We must also perfect the appellate procedure for capital cases,including holding hearings,comprehensive trial of key cases,and the adjusting the time limit for the second instance.Moreover,we must improve relative systems that can directly affect the trial quality of capital cases,including the improvement of evidentiary rules,the reform of judicial committee,and the forbiddance to change an original sentence into a death sentence.