Findings based on interviews with capital jurors indicate that considerable confusion exists over sentencing instructions. Jurors had difficulty understanding the content of the instructions, sometimes disregarding them altogether. Jurors placed a premium on remorseful demeanor from the defendant, and this weighed heavily in their sentencing deliberations. Many jurors who chose the death option misunderstood the true meaning of a life sentence. Finally, grave concerns were expressed about the competency of other jurors. In light of these findings, we call for the adoption of a priori training and better juror instructions based upon Gottfredson and Gottfredson's (1980) model for rational decision-making
