Final answer:
No, finding an aggravator beyond a reasonable doubt does not automatically mandate the death penalty; rather, it allows for the death penalty to be considered as a possible sentence after weighing both aggravating and mitigating factors.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question of whether finding an aggravator beyond a reasonable doubt mandates the death penalty can be answered with a definitive 'No.' While such a finding is necessary for the death penalty to be considered, it does not automatically require that the death penalty be applied. In the precedent set by Proffitt v. Florida, the Supreme Court ruled that a balancing of aggravating and mitigating factors must occur. This, together with the ruling in Gregg v. Georgia that mandates the death penalty statute to narrowly specify who is eligible, emphasizes that the death penalty is not a mandated sentence upon finding an aggravator beyond a reasonable doubt. Other cases such as Jurek v. Texas support the position that the imposition of the death penalty involves a more nuanced and fact-specific analysis.