I N TH E S U PR EM E C O U R T O F M I S S I S S I PPI N O. 2 0 0 5 - KA- 0 0 4 9 7 - S CT RI CKY PAL M ER
v. S TATE O F M

I S S I S S I PPI
D AT E O F JU D G M E N T : 12/ 03/ 2004 TRI A L J U D G E: C O UR T F RO M W HI C H AP P E

AL E D: H O N
. T

H O MA S J. G

A R D N E R, III P O N T O T O C C O UN T

Y C I RC UI T

C O URT ATT O R N E Y FO R A PPEL L A N T : W I L

L I A M P. K N I G

H T , J R
. ATTO RN EY

F O R A P P ELLEE: DI S T RIC T ATT O RN E

Y: O F F I C E O F T HE ATT O RN E

Y GE N E RA L B Y : JO S E B E N JA MI N S I MO J OH N R
. Y OU

NG NAT U R E OF T HE C A S E : C R I M I NA L - F E L ONY D I SPO SI T

I O N : A FFI R M E D- 10/ 12/

2006 M O T I O N F O R R

E HE AR I N G F I L E D: M AN DAT

E I S S UE D:

B E F O R EC O B B , P .J., C A R L SO N A

N D GR A V E S, JJ. CO B B , P R ES I D I N G

J US TI CE, F O R THE CO UR T: ¶ 1. R i c k y P a lm e r

a ppe a l s f r om h i s c on v i c ti on s i n t h e Pon t ot oc C ou

n t y C i r c u i t C ou r t on tw o c o u n ts o f sa l e o f me t h a d o n e a

n d o n e c o u n t o f sa l e o f m o rp h i n e , b o th sc h e d u l e II
c o n tr o l l e d s u b s ta n c e s . O n

a p p e a l P a lm e r a

rg u e s th at t h e tr i a l c o u r t e r r e d b y a l l o wi n g te s ti m o n y re g a rd i n g p re v i o u s n a rc o ti c s d e a l i n gs a n d b y n o t g i v i n g a l i m i ti n g in s t r u c t io n

to th e j ur y, s u a s po n t e, as t o t

h e u s e of s u ch t es ti m on y . A s n ei t h er of t h es e ar g u m en t s are per s u

as i v e,
w e af f i r m P al m er ’ s con v i cti o n s an d sen t en ces.2 F ACTS ¶2. I n J

u n e 2003 Pal

m e r on t w o oc c a s i

on s s ol d s c h e du l e I In a r c oti c s t o T e r e s a

A bbot t w ho

w as act i n g as a con

f i den ti al i n f or m an t f or t h e Po n t ot oc C ou

n t y S h er i f f ’ s D epar t m en t . P al m er
w a s a r r e s t e d i n N ov e m be r 2003 du ri n g a l a rg e s c a l e d r u

g bu s t of i n di v i du a l s u n de r i n v e s ti g ati on b y t h e s h e ri f f ’ s de pa r t m e n t . H e w a s i

n di c t e d i n N ov e m be r 2003 a n d l at e r t ri e d a n d c on v i c t e d
o n a l l th re e c o u n ts. F o r th

e s e c ri m e s P a l m e r w a s o rd e re d

to s e rv e th re e c o n s e c u

ti v e
s e n t e n c e s , e a c h s e n t e n c e w a s 30 y

e a r s wi t h 20 y e a r s s u s pe n de d. ¶ 3. P ri

or t o t ri al P a lm e r f

i l e d a m

ot i on i n l i m i n e to ex cl u de t es ti m on y t h at h e h ad pr e v i ou s l y e n g a g e d i n t r a n s a c ti on s i n v ol v i n g s c h e du l e I In a r c oti c s . T h e t r i a l c o ur

t h e l d a h e a ri n g o n th e m o ti o n a n d d e n i e d i t, s tati n g : I t i s Ib e l i e ve r e l ev

an t i n t h e St ate’ s cas e dem

on s t r at i n g t h at h e h ad su ch i te m s i n h i s p o s s e s s i

o n a n d c o u p l e d wi th o th e r e v i d e n c e w h i c h th e S tate pr es u m abl y wi l l pr es en t dem on s t r ates t h at h e n ot on l y h ad t h em bu t t he e vi den

ce i s , w h at It h i n k i t m i g h t be , i t w ou l d d e m on s t r at e t ha t h e di d i n f a c t do t h at . So i t ’ s a l l pa r t of on e t r a n s a c ti on or t h e re s ge s t ae . A s t o an y con s i der at i on of pr ej u di ci al v er s u s pr ob at i v e v al u e, Icon s i der i t to b e p ro b ati

v e to th e e x te n t th at a n y s u p p o s e d p re

ju d i c e i s o u tw e i g h e d b y th e pr obati v e v a l u e of t h i s e v i de n c e . . . . ¶ 4. A t t ri al t h e St ate ca l

l ed R eg i n a M on t s , w h o at t h e t i m e was s e r vi ng a n ei

g h t - y ear
s e n te n c e a f te r p l e a d i n g g u i l ty to p o s s e s s i

o n o f m e th a d o n e a n d h y dro c o d o n e , a n d s h e i d e n t ifie d P a l m e r a s a m a n s h e kn e w b e c a u s e o f p re v i o u s “ b u s i n e s s d e a l i n gs ” b e tw e e n th e t w o . M o n

ts t e s ti f i e d t h at du ring t he s u

m m e r of 2003 Pal

m e r on at l e a s t f ou r oc c a s i on s pu r c h a s e d, f or
r es al e, qu an ti ti es of m et h adon e an d m or p hi ne f

r om h er . S h e tes ti f i ed t h at w h i l e Pal m er w as
n o t h e r o n l y c u sto m e r t h at h e w a s a reg u l a r cu sto m e r.3

¶5
. P a l

m e r d i d n o t d e n y th at h e p u rc h a s e d a n d u s e d

dru gs . H i s d e f e n s e w a s th at A b b o tt, th e
co n f i d en ti al i n f o r m an t , w h o w as pai

d “ r eal g o o d m o n ey ” b y l aw en f o r cem en t t o b u y dr u gs, act u al l y t ri c k e d t h e n arcoti cs of f i cer s i n t o t h i n ki n g t h at s h e was bu

y i n g dr u gs f r om h i m an d ot h er s , w h en act u al l y s h e di d n ot . T h u s , P al m er con t en d s t ha t he w a s n

ot g u i l t y of s el l i n g dr u gs. ¶ 6. T h e St ate pr e s e nt e d i t s cas e t h r ou g h t h e tes ti m on y of K ev i n R od g er s , a cr i m i n al i n v e s ti g ato r f o r th e N o rth M i s s i s s i p p i N a rc o ti c s U n i t, M o n ts a n d A b b o tt, a n d M i k e D o s s , th

e
n arcoti cs i n v es ti g ator f or t h e P o nt o t o c P ol

i ce D epar t m en t . I t cl osed w i t h s h ow i n g t h e v i deo
o f t h e b u y f r o m P al m er . T h e d ef en se r est ed wi t h o u t cal l i n g an y wi t n esses . A N A LY S IS ¶ 7. T h e s t a n da rd of r e v i e w r e ga r d ing t he a dm

i s s i on or e x c l u s i on of e v i de n c e i s a bu s e of d i s c r e t i o n . J

o n e sv . S ta te , 904 So. 2d 149, 152 ( M i s s . 2005) . T

h e a dm i s s i bi l i t y of e v i d e nc e rest s wi t h i n t h e d i s c r e ti o n o f t h e t ri a l c o u r t , a n d re v e r s a l wi l l b e a p p r o p ri at e o n l y w h e n a n ab u se of di s c r e ti on r e s u l ti n g i n pr e j u di c e t o t h e a c c u s e d oc c u r s . C l em on sv. S t a t e , 7 32 So. 2d 883, 887 ( M i s s . 1999)
. ¶ 8. Pal

m e r f i r s t a s s e r t s t ha t t h

e t ri a l c ou r t a bu s e d i t s di s c r e ti on i n de n y i n g h i s m oti on i n l i m i n e a n d a l l o wi n g M o n t s t o t e s ti

f y r e g a r d in g p r e v

i o u s n a r c o ti c s s a l e s b e t w e e n t h e m . Th e g e n e r a l r ul e i s t h a t e v i de n c e of a c ri m e , ot h e r t h a n t h e on e f or w h i c h t h e a c c u s e d i s be i n g t ri e d, i s n ot a dm i s s i b l e . B a llen g e r

v . S ta te , 6 6 7 S o . 2 d

1 2 4 2 , 1 2 5 6 (M i

s s . 1 9 9 5 ) (c i

ti n g Du p la n tis4

v . S ta te , 6 44 S o. 2d 1 2 3 5, 12 46 ( M i s s . 1 99 4) ) . H ow ev

er , t h ere are ex

cept i on s t o t h i s g en eral

ru l e a s p ro v i d e d b y Mi ss . R
. E v i d
. 4 0 4 (b ): E v i d e n c e o f o th

e r c ri m e s , w ro n gs o r a c ts i

s n o t a d m i s s i b l e to p ro v

e th e c h a rac ter o f a p e rso n i n o rd e r to s h o w t h a t h

e a c tedi n c o n f o rm i ty th e rew i th
. It m ay , h ow ev er , b e adm

i s s i b l e f or ot h er pu r po s es s u ch as pr oo f

of m ot i v e, oppor t u n i t y , i n t e n t , pr e pa r ati on , pl a n , kn owl e dg e , i de n ti t y or a bs e n c e of m i s t ake o r a c c i d e n t. T h i s C o u r t h as con si sten tl y h el d t h e a d m i

ssi o n o f ev i d en ce o f u n r el at ed cri m es f o r t h e p u r p o se
o f s h o wi n g th e a c c u s e d a c te d i n c o n f o rm i ty th e re wi th i s re v e rs i b l e e r r o r , b u t a d m

i s s i o n f o r th e
a bov e r e a s on s i s pe r m i s s i bl e . B al l eng er , 667 So. 2d at 1256. ¶9
. E v i d e n c e o f o th e r c rime s o r b a d

a c ts i s a l s o a d m i s s i b l e i n o rd e r to te l

l th e c o m p l e te sto ry s o a s n o t t o c o n

f u se th e ju ry . In B r o w n v . S ta te , 4 8 3 S o . 2 d

3 2 8 , 3 3 0 (M i

s s . 1 9 8 6 ), th

i s C ou r t s ai d t h e St ate h as a “ l eg i ti m at e i n t eres t i n t el l i n g a rat i on al an d coh eren t s t or y of w h at h a p p e n e d
. ” W h e r e s u b s t a n t i a l l y n e c e s s a ry to p re s e n

t to th e ju ry “ th e c o m p l e te s to ry o f th e
cri m e” , ev i d en ce o r t est i m o n y m ay b e g i v en ev en t h o u g h i t m ay r ev eal o r su g g est o t h er cri m es. Si m m ons v . St a t e , 8 1 3 S o . 2 d

7 1 0 , 7 1 6 (Mi

ss . 2 0 0 2 ); B al l eng er , 6 6 7 S o . 2 d at 1 2 5 7
. In

th e
c a s e of dr u g s a l e s , t h i s C ou r t h a s s pe c i f i c a l l y a f f i r m e d t h e a dm i s s i on of e v i de n c e of pri or i n v ol v e m e n t i n t h e dr u g t r a de t o pr ov

e int e nt t o di

s t ri bu t e . Sw i ngt on v. St at e

, 742 So. 2d 1106, 1 1 1 1 (Mi ss . 1 9 9 9 ); H

o lla n d v . S ta te , 6 5 6 S o . 2 d

1 1 9 2 , 1 1 9 5 (Mi

ss . 1 9 9 5 ). ¶ 10
. I n t h e pr es en t cas e i t i s cl ear t h at t h e t ri al cou r t adm i t t ed t h e tes tim o ny f

o r t h e pu r po s es of pr ov i ng int e nt , m

oti v e a n d i n c om pl e ti n g t h e s t or y of t h e c h a rg e d c ri m e . See Si m m ons , 813 S o . 2 d at 7 1 6
. T

h e re f o re , i t c a n n o t b e s a i d th at th e tri a l c o u rt a b u s e d i ts d i s c r e t i o n i n a d m i tti n g5

th e e v i d e n c e . E v e n th o u g h t h e t e s ti

m o n y p a s s e d m u s te r u n d e r M i s s . R
. E v i d
. 4 0 4 (b ) i

t sti l l
m u s t be a dm i s s i bl e u n de r t h e u l ti m at e f i l t e r of M i s s . R . E v i d. 4 0 3 , m e a ning

t h at t h e ri s k of

u n du e pr e j ud i c e c a nno t s u

bs t a n ti a l l y ou t w e i g h t h e pr obati v e v a l u e . B al l eng er , 6 67 S o. 2dat 1257. ¶1 1
. T h i s C o u rt h a s h e l d th at w h e n e v e r Mi

ss . R
. E v i d
. 4 0 4 (b ) ev

i d e n c e i s o f f e red a n d th e re i s a n o b je c ti o n w h i c h i s o v e r r u le d , th

e o b je c ti o n s h a l l b e d e e m

e d a n i n v o c ati o n o f th e ri g h t to
a M i s s . R . E v i d. 403 ba l

a n c i n g a n a l y s i s . B r o w n v . S ta te , 8 9 0 S o . 2 d

9 0 1 , 9 1 2 ( M i

s s . 2 0 0 4 ). R u l e 403 pr ov

i de s f or t h e e x c l u s i on of e vi d e n c e , e v e n i f r e l e v a n t , w h e r e t h e ri s k of u n du e pr e j u di c e ou t w e i g h s i t s pr obati v e v a l u e . Si m m ons , 8 1 3 S o . 2 d a t 7 1 6
. P a l m e r a s s e rts th

at th e tr i a l c o u rt ’s b a l a n c in g w a s “

i n c o m p reh e n si b l e a t b e st. ” H o w e v

e r, a f ter rev i e wi n g th e rec o rd i t i s c l e a r t h at t h e t ri a l c ou r t w e i g h e d t h e e v i de n c e s ’ pr obati

v e v a l u e a g a i n s t t h e pot e n ti a l f or
u n d u e p re ju d i c e . T h e re f o re , w e f i n d P a l m e r’s f i rs t i s s u e i s wi th o u t m e ri t. ¶ 12. P a lm e r

n e x t a s s e r t s t h at t h e t ri a l c ou r t e r r e d i n f a i l i n g t o s u a s pon t e g i v e a l i m i t ing i n st r u cti o n t o t h e j u r y reg ar d i n g t h e v al u e o f Mon t s’ s test i m o n y . I n s u

p p o r t P al m er ci t es S m ith

v . S ta te , 6 56 S o. 2d95 , 1 0 0 ( M i s s . 1 99 5) , i

n w h i ch t h i s C ou r t f i r s t an n ou n ced t h e requ i r em en t t h at a l i m i ti n g i n s t r u c ti on m u s t be g i v e n t o t h e j u r y w h e n M i s s . R . E v i d. 404( b) e vi d e nc e i

s gi ve n. S m ith , 6 56 S o. 2dat

97 . H ow ev

er , t h i s C ou r t r ev i s i t ed t h e Sm i t h deci

s i on an d

ov e r r u l e d i t pri or t o Pal m e r ’ s t ri a l
. Br o wn , 890 S o. 2d at

913. Pal

m e r ’ s c a s e w a s t

ri e d on D e c e m b e r 2 -3 , 2 0 0 4 , a f

t e r B r own w a s h

a n de d dow n on Septe m be r 2, 2004, t

h e m oti on f or6

r eh ear i n g den i ed N ov em ber 4, 20 04 a nd t

h e m an dat e i s s u ed N ov em ber 12 , 2 00 4. T

h eref or e, at P al m er ’ s t ri al B r own wa s c l

e a rl y c on t r ol l i n g . ¶1 3
. In Br

o wn t h i s C ou r t s t at e d: T h e b u rd e n s h o u l d p ro p e rl y b e u p o n t h e t r ia l

c o u n s e l to re qu e s t a l i m i ti n g i n s t r u ct i on . T h i s w a s o ur

r u l e bef or e S m ith , i n a c c o rd wi t h R ul e 1 0 5 o f t he M i s s i s s i pp i R u l es of E vi d e nc e . T

h e r u l e pr ov i des i n per ti n en t par t t h at “ [ w ] h en e v i de n c e w h i c h i s a dm i s s i bl e . . . f or on e pur p o s e b ut no t a dm i s s i bl e . . . f or a n ot h e r pu r pos e i s a dm i t t e d, t h e c ou r t , u p o n re q u e

s t, s ha l l r e s t

ri ct t h e ev i den ce t o i t s pr ope r s c ope a n d i n s t r u c t t h e j u r y a c c ordi n g l y Id
. (e m p h a s i s i n o ri g i n a l ). T h e re f o re , th e b u rd e n n o w re s ts o n tri a l c o u n s e l , n o t th e tri a l c o u rt, t o r equ es t a l i m i ti n g i n s t r u ct i on f or M i s s . R . E v i d. 40 4(b) ev

i den ce. In t h e pr es en t cas e t ri al
cou n s el di d n ot af f i r m at i v el y pr es en t a j u r y i n s t r u ct i on r eg ardi n g M o nt s ’ s t es ti

m on y t o t h e t ri al
c ou r t . T h e r e f or e , t h e t ri a l j u dg e c a n n ot be f ou n d i n e r ror f or n ot g i v i n g t h i s i n s t r u c ti on . C ON C L U S I ON ¶ 14
. T h e t ri al cou r t di d n ot er r i n den y i n g P al m er ’ s m ot i on i n l i m i n e or i n f ai l i n g t o g i v e a l i m i ti n g j u r y i n s t r u ct i on n o t p r e s e nt ed t o i

t . A s a res u

l t , P al m er ’ s appeal

i s wi t h ou t m er i t , an d

w e af f i r m h i s con v i cti o n s an d sen t en ces. ¶ 15. C OU

N T I : C ON V

I C T I ON OF

S A L EOF M E T HA

D ON EA

N D S E N T E N C EOF T H I RTY ( 3 0 ) Y E A RS , W I T H TW E NTY ( 2 0 ) Y E A RS O F S AI D S E NT E NC EB E I NG S U S P E N D E D , I N T HEC U S T O D Y OF T HEM I S S I S S I PP

I D E P A R T M E N T

OF COR R EC T I O N S , A F F I R M E D . S E N T E N C E I N C O U N T I S HALL R UN C O N S E C U T IV

E LY W IT H T H ES E N T E N C E S IN C O U N T S II A

N D III . C O U

N T II: C O N V I C T I O N O F

SA L EO F M O R PH I N EA

N D SE N T E N C EO F

T H I R TY

( 30 ) Y E A R S, W I T H TW E N TY (2 0 ) Y E A R S OF S A I D S E N T E N C EB E I N G S U S P E N D E D , I N T HE C U S T O DY

O F T H EM I S S I S S I PP

I DE P A RT M E NT

O F C O RRE C T I O NS , AF F I RM E D. S EN TEN CE I N C O UN T I I S H ALL R UN CO N S ECUTI VELY W I TH TH E S EN TEN CES I N C O U NT S I A ND I I I . COUN T I I I : C O NV I C T I O N O F

S A L EO F M E T H A DO NEA ND S E N T E N C EO F

T H IR TY ( 3 0 ) Y

E A R S , W IT H TW E N TY ( 2 0 ) Y E A R S O F S A ID7

S EN TE N C E B EI N G

S U S PEN D ED , I N T H E C U S TO D Y O F TH E M I S S I S S I PPI DE P A RT M E NT

O F C O RRE C T I O NS , A

FF I R M E D. S EN TEN CE I N CO UN T I I I S H ALL R U N C O N S E C U T IV

E LY W IT H T H ES E N T E N C E S IN C O U N T S I A N D II. S M I T H , C . J . , W

A L L E R, P . J . , DI A

Z , E AS L E Y

, C A RL S O N, DI C K

I NS O N A

ND R AN D O LP

H , J J . , CO N CUR . GR AVES , J . , CO N CUR S I N R ES ULT O N LY .