[cyncooper]

Is the judge bound by the jury recommendation? Or is the jury verdict the final sentence? (Though I find it hard to believe the judge would supercede a life sentence for death, it would seem more likely a judge would lessen a death recommendation...)

[Catspaw]

The judge can only make a downward recommendation (life from a death penalty recommendation), not the other way around.

[nina0113]

Is the judge bound by the jury recommendation? Or is the jury verdict the final sentence?The judge can go DOWN, from death penalty to life-in-prison, but not UP, from l-i-p to dp.