Title: Holliday v. State

State: mississippi

Issuer: Mississippi Supreme Court

Document:

418 So. 2d 69 (1982) Winford Dee HOLLIDAY, Jr. v. STATE of Mississippi. No. 53355. Supreme Court of Mississippi. August 11, 1982. *70 Farese, Farese & Farese, John B. Farese, Ashland, for appellant. Bill Allain, Atty. Gen. by Billy L. Gore, Asst. Atty. Gen., Jackson, for appellee. Before WALKER, P.J., and BROOM and ROY NOBLE LEE, JJ. WALKER, Presiding Justice, for the Court: This is an appeal from the Circuit Court of Tippah County, Mississippi, wherein the appellant was indicted for murder but convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to a term of eighteen years in the Mississippi Department of Corrections, with six years suspended. From this conviction and sentence, he appeals. We affirm. On April 13, 1980, the appellant, Dee Holliday, and one Jerry Akins passed the time drinking beer they had purchased earlier in the afternoon in Tennessee. While sitting in appellant's pickup, Jerry Mohundro approached and asked if they cared to share his gin. Mohundro also had a premixed canned alcoholic beverage he was drinking. Akins and appellant turned down the gin offer as they continued to drink their beer. Mohundro joined them in the cab of the pickup. Shortly thereafter the three were joined by Mickey Raul. As the truck became crowded all four went into the kitchen of appellant's home where they sat at the table drinking their libations. Approximately one hour later, Raul left. Mohundro and appellant discussed the possible sale of appellant's car. According to Akins both kind of got to arguing about it. Akins left the kitchen for a short period of time. After he came back in and sat at the table Mohundro spit on the floor but denied doing it upon being questioned. Appellant asked Mohundro to leave. Both Akins and the appellant testified that Mohundro threatened Holliday stating, "I'll be laying for you, and I'll get you." Again appellant asked Mohundro to leave to which he answered he would leave when he got ready to. According to appellant Mohundro's exact words were "I'll leave when I get damn good and ready too." From this point the testimony as to Mohundro's actions is conflicting. According to Holliday, Mohundro told him "... I know you've got that little gun, so just make your move." Again appellant asked Mohundro to leave. Mohundro stated, "I'll just kill you now." Appellant testified that Mohundro "... jumped up from the table; knocked his chair over, and he had his hand in his pocket when he came up ... and lunged toward me. That's when I shot him ... I just shot 'til he quit coming... ." Mohundro was shot at least six times. Akins testified that Mohundro got up and jumped back from the table and was shot by appellant. He was completely up when the shots rang out. Akins did not notice the position of Mohundro's hands when he jumped back from the table nor did he see Mohundro with any sort of weapon. No weapon of Mohundro's was found at the scene. E.B. Jones, an emergency medical technician, responded to a 10:30 p.m. call concerning the shooting. He found Mohundro in the kitchen of Holliday's residence between the table and wall lying on his side. Holliday admitted shooting Mohundro. *71 Jones placed Mohundro in the ambulance and transported him to the hospital. Sheriff Crum of Tippah County arrived at the scene shortly after Mohundro's body was moved from the house. Holliday told the sheriff he shot Mohundro and handed him a .25 automatic pistol containing two live rounds. Dr. Benton M. Hilburn, a practicing surgeon, and Dr. John Michael Hoya, a practicing physician, treated Mohundro at the North Mississippi Medical Center. Dr. Hilburn testified he believed there were six gunshot wounds on Mohundro's body and Dr. Hoya drew a diagram for the jury locating seven gunshot wounds. Mohundro died several days after being admitted to the hospital as a result of "an overwhelming infection secondary to his injuries." The appellant was indicted for the murder of Jerry Mohundro. Following a trial by jury, he was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to a term of eighteen years in the Mississippi Department of Corrections, with six years suspended. The appellant assigns the following as error: The lower court erred in not directing a verdict of acquittal for appellant at the conclusion of all of the evidence, there being no competent evidence to contradict appellant's version of the homicide which made out a clear case of self-defense. Upon conclusion of trial, the appellant moved for a directed verdict "based on the fact the State has not presented evidence establishing a prima facia [sic] case against the defendant ..." and also made a request for a peremptory instruction. Both requests were denied. The case clearly presents an issue for the jury's determination and their verdict is supported by the evidence. Cutrer v. State, 410 So. 2d 1308 (Miss. 1982). The lower court erred in not directing a verdict of acquittal at the close of all of the evidence in this case because the state failed to prove corpus delicti. Dr. Benton M. Hilburn testified as to the cause of Mohundro's death as follows: Mohundro died in the hospital several days after his admission for treatment of his gunshot wounds and the jury was justified in determining the gunshot wounds were a substantial contributing cause of death. In Schroer v. State, 250 Miss. 84, 160 So. 2d 681 (1964), we stated: The lower court erred in not sustaining appellant's motion for a new trial because the conviction for manslaughter was against the overwhelming weight of the evidence. The deceased and appellant both had been drinking on the day of the shooting incident. An argument ensued while both were seated around appellant's kitchen table. The deceased aggravated appellant by spitting on his floor and denying it. Upon being asked to leave appellant's home, the *72 deceased became belligerent and refused to leave. When he arose from the table Mohundro was shot at least six times. No weapon was found on or near Mohundro's body. The testimony was conflicting as to whether or not Mohundro lunged toward the appellant as if to cause him great bodily harm. In Stennis v. State, 234 So. 2d 611 (Miss. 1970), we stated: The appellant asserts the facts in this matter make out a clear case of self-defense. In his argument he stated that one may act on reasonable appearances of danger, the law requiring only that one be in danger, real or apparent. Further, he need not prove he acted in justifiable self-defense, but only that he raise a reasonable doubt of his guilt on the charge against him. Scott v. State, 203 Miss. 349, 34 So. 2d 718 (1948). In the recent case of Cooley v. State, 391 So. 2d 614 (Miss. 1980), we carefully reviewed several cases which set forth the conditions upon which a plea of self-defense may lie as follows: The testimony of the state's witness, Akins, with regard to the posture of Mohundro prior and at the time of the shooting clearly raised an issue for the jury's resolution. The jury is the sole judge of the credibility of the witnesses and the weight and worth given to their testimony. Gathright v. State, 380 So. 2d 1276 (Miss. 1980). The jury was properly instructed as to the appellant's theory of self-defense. It was within their province to consider appellant's version of self-defense along with the evidence which contradicted his testimony in determining his guilt or innocence. The issue of appellant's guilt was properly presented to the jury. Based upon the evidence introduced, we find appellant's contention that the verdict was contrary to the overwhelming weight of the evidence is without merit. The lower court erred in not sustaining appellant's motion for a new trial for the reason that appellant was denied due process of law when the trial court allowed the state to engage in jury argument which was inflammatory, prejudicial and which invaded the province of the jury. We find this assignment of error to be wholly without merit and warrants no discussion. Finding no reversible error, the judgment and sentence are affirmed. AFFIRMED. PATTERSON, C.J., SUGG, P.J., and BROOM, ROY NOBLE LEE, BOWLING, HAWKINS, DAN M. LEE and PRATHER, JJ., concur.