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 2 3 4 5 - S CT J OS H UA P H I L L I P S ON
v. S TATE O F M

I S S I S S I PPI
D A T E O F JU D G M E N T : 12/ 14/ 2005 T R I A L J U D G E : H ON. S A M A C S
. R

I C H A R D S ON C O URT F RO M W HI C H AP P E

ALE D: RAN K I

N C O UN T

Y C I RC UI T

C O URT ATTO RN E

Y F O R AP P E

L L AN T : DAN W
. DUG GAN , J R. ATT O RN E

Y F O R A P P E L L E E : O F F I C E

O F T HE ATT O RN E

Y GE N E RA L BY: BI L L Y L. GO RE DI S T RI C T ATTO RN E

Y: DAV I D BYRD C L ARK NAT U R E OF T H E 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- 11/ 30/

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 EW

A L L E R , P .J., D I A

Z A N D D I C K

I N SO N , JJ. D I AZ , J US TI CE, F O R TH E CO UR T: ¶ 1. T h i s cas e pr es en

t s t h e qu es ti on of w h et h er a d e f e nd a nt a ccu

s ed of s t at u t or y r ape i s
e n ti tl e d t o a l e s s e r - i n c l u de d j u r y i n s t r u c ti on r e g a r di ng f or n i c ati on . B e c a

u s e f or n i c ati on i s n ot
a l e s s e r - i

n c l u de d c ri m e of s t at u t or y r a pe , w e a f

f i r m t h e r u l i n g of t h e t ri a l c ou r t t o e x c l u de t he i ns t r uc ti o n. F

A C T S A N D P R OC E E D I N GS B E L OW ¶2. T h e f act s of t h i s cas e are n

ot i n di s pu t e. J o s hu a P hi l l i

pson w as ar r es t ed, t ri ed, an dW e om i t t h e n am e of t h e m i n or ou t of r e s pe c t f or h e r a g e a n d t h e c ri m e i n v ol v e d. 1 2 c on v i c t e d f or t h e s t at ut or y r a pe of B .G ., a m i n or f e m a l e . A t t h e ti m e of t h e e v e n t , M a y 18, 1 2004, Ph i l l i ps on w a s 20 y

e a r s ol d a n d t h e m i n or w a s 15. Ph

i l l i ps on w a s s e nt e nc e d t o 2 1⁄2 y ear s i n t h e cu s t od y of t h e M i s s i s s i pp i D epar t m en t of C or r ect i on s f or t h e cr i m e. ¶ 3. T h e s ol e i s s u e on app e a l i s w het

h er t h e R an ki n C ou n t y C i r cu i t C ou r t com m i t t ed
r e v e r s i bl e e r r or i n re f u s i n g j u r y i n s t r u c ti on D 6, w h i c h r e a d: T h e C o u rt i n s tru c ts th e ju ry th at i f y o u f i n d th at th e s tate h a s f a i l e d to pr ov e a n y on e t h e e s s e n ti a l e l e m e n t s of t h e c r i m e of ST A T UT O R Y R A PE , y ou m u s t f i n d t h e de f e n da nt no t

g u i l t y . Y ou

wi l l t h e n pr oc e e d w

i t h y ou r de l i be r ati on s t o de c i de w h e t h e r t h e s t at e h a s pr o ve d be y

on d a r e a s on a bl e dou bt a l l th e e l e m e n ts o f th e l e s s e r c ri m e o f F O R N IC A T IO N
. If w a rran te d b y th e e v i d e n c e , y o u m a y f i n d t h e d e f e n d a n t g u i l t y o f a c ri m e l e s s e r t h a n S T ATUT O RY R A P E . H ow ev

er , n o t w i t hs t an

di n g t h at ri g h t , i t i s y ou r du t y t o acce pt

t h e l aw as g i v e n to y o u b y th e c o u rt. If t h e fa c t s a

n d th e l a w w a rran t a c o n v i c ti o n f o r th e c ri m e of ST A T UT O R Y R A PE , t h e n i t i s y ou r du t y t o m ake s u c h a f i n d ing , u n i n f l u e n c e d by y ou r pow e r t o f i n d a l e s s e r of f e n s e . T h i s pr ov i s i on i s n ot d e s i g n e d to re l i e v e y o u f ro m th e p e rf o rm a n c e o f a n u n p l e a s a n t d u ty . It i s i n cl ud e d t o pr ev

en t a f ai l u r e of j u s ti ce i f t h e ev i den ce f ai l s t o p r ov e t h e ori g i n al c h a rg e , b u t d o e s j u s ti f y a v e r d i c t f o r F OR NI C A T I ON. F O RN I C AT

I O N i s d e f i n e d a s u n l a wf u l s e x u a l i n te r c o u r s e b e twe e n

two u n m ar ri ed p er son s. ¶ 4. B eca

u s e i t w as n ot er r or t o r ef u s e t h i s ins t r uc t i o n, w e af

f i r m t h e r u l i n g of t h e t ri al
c o u rt. S TAN D AR D O F R EVI EW ¶5
. J u ry i n s tru c ti o n s a re n o t re v i e w e d i n i s o l ati o n , b u t re a d a s a w h o le t o d e te rm i n e i f th e j u r y w a s pr ope rl

y i n s t r u c t e d. M

i l a n o v . S ta te , 7 9 0 S o . 2 d

1 7 9 , 1 8 4 ( M i

s s . 2 0 0 1 )
. Th

e i n s t r u c ti on s m u s t f a i rl y a n n ou n c e t h e l a w of t h e c a s e a n d no t c r e a t e inj us ti

c e . I d. at 1 8 4
. “

In ot h er w or ds, i f al l i n s t r u ct i on s t aken as a w h ol e f ai rl y , b u t n ot n ece s s ar i l y per f ect l y , an n ou n ce3

t h e a ppl i c a bl e r u l e s of l a w , no e r r o r r e s u

l t s .” A d a m sv . S ta te , 7 7 2 S o . 2 d

1 0 1 0 , 1 0 1 6 ( Mi

ss. 2 0 0 0 ). D I S C U S S I ON ¶6. P h

i l l i p son arg u es t h at h e sh o u l d h av e r ecei v ed a j u r y i n st r u cti o n o n f o r n i cati o n b ecau se i t pr es en t ed a v i abl e t h eor y of t h e ca s e. “

A def en dan t i s en ti tl ed t o h ave j ur y in

s t r u ct i on s g i v en
w h i ch pr es en t h i s t h eor y of t he c a s e, h

ow ev er , t h i s en ti tl em en t i s l i m i t ed i n t h at t h e cou r t m ay
r e fu s e a n i n s tru c ti o n w h i c h i n c o rre c tl y s tate s th

e l a w , i s c o v e re d f a i rl y e l s e w h e re i n th e i n s t r u c ti on s , or i s wi t h out f o und a t i o n

i n t h e e v i de n c e .” A d a ms , 7 72 S o. 2dat

10 16 ( i n t er n al qu o tati o n s a n d c i tati o n s o m i tte d ). W e g

re atl y v a l u e th e ri g h t o f a d e f e n d a n t to p re s e n

t h i s t h eo r y o f t h e case, an

d “ [ w ] h er e a d ef en d an t ’ s prof f er ed i n st r u cti o n h as an ev i d en ti ar y b asi s, p ro p e rl y s tate s th e l a w , a n d is th

e o n l y i n s tru c ti o n p re s e n ti n g h i s th e o ry o f th e c a s e , re f

u s a l to g r a n t i t c on s ti t u t e s r e v e r s i bl e e r r or .” I d. ( i n t e r n a l qu ot ati on s &c i t ati on s om i t t e d)
. ¶ 7. I n t h e ca s e of

i n s t r u ct i on s r ega r d ing a l

es s er - i n cl u ded o f f en s e, “ t h e def en dan t m ay
r equ est an i n st r u cti o n r eg ar d i n g an y o f f en se car r y i n g a l esser p u n i sh m e n t i f t h e l

esser o f f en se
a ri s e s o u t o f a n u c l e u s o f o p e r a t iv e f

a c t c o m m o n wi th th e f a c tu a l s c e n a ri o g i v i n g ri s e to th e
c h a rg e l a i d i n t h e i n di c t m e n t .” I d. ( i n t e r n a l qu ot ati on s &c i t ati on s om i t t e d)
. ¶ 8
. “ T h e c rim e o f

s t at u t o r y r a p e i s c o m m i t t e d w h e n . . . [ a ] n y p e r s o n s e v e n t e e n ( 1 7 ) y e a rs of ag e or ol der h as s ex u al i n t ercou r s e w i t h a ch i l d w h o . . . [ i ] s at l eas t f ou r t een ( 14 ) bu t u n der
s i x t e e n ( 16) y

e a r s of a g e ; [ a n d] [ i ] s t h i r t y - s i x ( 36) or m or e m on t h s y ou n g e r t h a n t h e pe r s on ;
a n d
. . . [i ]s n o t th e p e rs o n ’s s p o u

s e . ” M i s s . C o d e A n n . § 9 7
- 3
- 6 5 (1 )(a ) (R e v . 2 0 0 6 ). It i

s
u n di s pu t ed t h at P h i l l i pson w as 20 y

ear s ol d an d B .G . w as 15 ; t

h i s i s a di f f er e nc e o f m o r e t

h an 36 m on t h s ; a n d t h e y a r e u n m a r ri e d.4

¶ 9. P h

i l l i pson adm i t t ed h av i n g s ex u al i n t ercou r s e w i t h B
. G
. , w hi l e i

n s i s ti n g i t w as
con s en s u al . U n der ou r l aw s , a m i n or t h at f i t s t h e cr i t er i a o f t he s t at

u t e s i m pl y do es n ot h av e t h e l eg al po w er t o con s en t . T h e ag e of a m i n or i s com pl et e bar t o t h e l eg al ex erci s e of con s en t t o sex u al i n t ercou r s e. “ A t t h e h ear t of [ t h e s t a t ut o r y r ape s t at

u t e] i s t h e cor e con

cer n t h at ch i l dr en s h ou l d n ot be ex pl oi t ed f or s ex u al pu r po s es r eg ardl es s of t h ei r ‘ con s en t ,’ ” a s “ [ t ] h

ey
s i m pl y c a n n ot a ppr e c i a t e t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e or t h e c on s e qu e n c e s of t h e i r a c ti on s .” C ol l i n sv. S ta te , 6 9 1 S o . 2 d

9 1 8 , 9 2 4 (Mi

ss . 1 9 9 7 ). ¶10
. A cco r d i

n g l y , co n sen t i s n o t an d can n o t b e a d ef e n s e t o a c h a r g

e o f stat u t o r y r ap e. Mi

ss. C ode A n n . § 97- 3- 65( 2) . St at

u t or y r a pe i s a l s o a “ s t r i c t

l i a bi l i t y ” c ri m e , a n d a de f e n da n t c a n n ot
m a i n t a i n a “ m i s t ake of a g e ” de f e n s e . C ol l i ns , 6 91 S o. 2dat

92 3. A s a r es u

l t t h er e are n o l es s er - i n cl u ded cri m es to stat u t or y r ape. ¶1 1
. D e s p i

te o u r l a w o n s tatu to ry ra p e , P h i l l i p s o n o f f e rs th at h e s h o u ld h av

e b e e n a b l e to pr es en t ev i den ce t h at h e com m i t t ed “ f or n i cat i on ,” n ot s t at u t or y r a pe. H e ci

t es t o a l

eg al di c ti on a r y ’ s de f i n i ti on of t h e t e r m a n d a s ks t h at w e a ppl y “ t h e c om m on l a w de f i n i ti on of f or n i cat i on t o t h e f act s i n t h [ i s ] cas e.” O u r l aw do es n ot ex pl i ci tl y pr oh i bi t “ f or n i cat i on ” i n an d
o f i tse l f
. W e d e c l

i n e th i s o f f e r to a d o p t fo r n ic a ti

o n a s a “ c o m m o n l a w ” c ri m e , a s th e L e g i sl atu re i s th e b o dy th at p ro p e rl y d e f i n e s a n d p ro h i b i ts c ri m i n a l b e h av i o r. ¶ 12. I n a ddi ti on t o h i s “ c om m on l a w ” c ri m e a rg u m e n t , Ph i l l i ps on s u g g e s t s hi s ins t r u

c ti on
a l s o f i t s t h e M i s s i s s i ppi C ode , s pe c i

f i c a l l y Sec ti on 97- 29- 1: I f a n y m a n a n d w om a n s h a l l u n l a w f u l l y c oh a bi t , w h e t h e r i n a d ult e r

y or f o rn i c ati o n , th e y sh a l l b e f in e d in a n

y su m n o t m o re th a n f i v e h u n dred d o l l a rs e a c h , a n d i m pri s on e d i n t h e c ou n t y j a i l n ot m or e t h a n s i x m on t h s ; a n d i t s h a l l no t be n ece s s ar y , t o con s ti t u t e t h e of f en s e, t h at t h e par ti es s h al l dw el l t o ge t her pu bl i c l y a s h u s ba n d a n d wi f e , bu t i t m a y be pr ov e d by c i r c u m s t a n c e s w h i c h s h ow5

h abi t u al s ex u al i n t ercou r s e. M i s s . C od e A

n n . § 97
- 29
- 1 ( R

ev . 2 00 6) . Wh

at P h i l l i pson do es n ot per c e i ve i

s t h at t h i s l aw i s a pr o hi

b i ti on on coh abi t at i on t h at i n v ol v es adu l t er y or f or n i cat i on . T h er e w as n

o ev i den ce th at h e a n d B
. G
. w e re c o h

a b i tati n g . E v e n i f th e re w e r e , c h

a rg e s u n d e r th i s s e c ti o n a re s ti l l
s e p a r at e f r o m a s t at u t o r y r a p e c h a rg e . T h e r e a s o n i n g b e h i n d t h e p r o h i b i ti o n o n s t at u t o ry rap e
w a s di s c u s s e d i n f ra : i t i s to p r ot ect

ag ai n s t ex pl oi t at i on an d v u l n erabi l i t y , n ot t o p r ev en t
c oh a bi t ati on . ¶ 13. T h e c ri m e s a r e s e pa r ate a n d u n r e l at e d, a s t h e t ri a l c ou r t f o und

— ind e e d, a s c ou

n s e l f or Ph i l l i ps on a dm i t t e d at t r i a l . T h e f ol l owi n g di s c u s s i on w a s h a d be t w e e n t h e t ri a l c ou r t , R a n ki n C ou n t y D i s t ri ct A t t or n ey D av i d C l ar k, R an ki n C ou n t y A s s i s t an t D i s t ri ct A t t or n ey J am i e M c B ri de , a n d c ou n s e l f or t h e de f e n s e D a n Du g g a n , r e g a r di n g I n s t r u c ti on D 6: M R . M c B R

I D E : J u dg e , It h i n k t h at 's a m i s t ake of t he l a w . Im

e a n , i t t a l ks a bou t a l es s er i n cl u ded cri m e of f or n i cat i on . A n d, J u dg e, Ido n ' t bel i ev e t h er e i s s u ch a l e s s e r i n c l u de d c ri m e a s s t at u t or y r a pe . I n f a c t , Ibe l

i e v e t he c ri

m e of f or n i c ati on a c t u a l l y i n v ol v e s h av i n g t o l i v e t og e t h e r , J u dg e . T H E C O U R T : I th

o u g h t i t h a d to d o wi th s o m e th i n g a b o u t p ro h i b i te d wi th i n th e

- - c re ate d

b y th e i n c e s t sta tu te wi th i n th e d e g re e s o f c i v il k in s h i p o r s o m e th i n g . MR
. Mc B R

ID E : It w a s th e o n l y o n e I co u l d f i n d b u t I t h o u g h

t i t wa s re f e rri n g t o w as 97
- 29
- 1, i t

s ay s , ‘ A du l t er y an d f or n i cat i on , u n l aw f u l coh abi t at i on . I f an y m a n a n d w om a n s h a l l u n l a w f u l l y c oh a bi t at e w h e t h e r a du l t e r y or f or n i c ati on . . . .’ A n d, t h e n , i t g oe s on a n d i t t a l ks a bou t h a bi t u a l , s e x u a l i n t e r c ou r s e . . . . [.
. . ] J u dg e , us ua l l

y t h ose s t at u t es h av e cl ear - - f or i n s t an ce, i n s t at u t or y r ape, w e h

ad th e a g e o n i t, w h i c h i s n o t re qu i re d u n d e r th

e f o rn i c ati o n s tatu te . A n d u n d e r th e f or n i cat i on s t at u t e, i t r e q ui r es coh

abi t at i on . T h er e w as j u

s t on e i n s t an ce i n t h e r e , of c ou r s e . T h e ke y w or d i s h a bi t u a l
. T H E C O U R T : Wh i ch f or n i cat i on s t at u t e are y ou r ef er ri n g t o, M r . D u

g g an ? M R
. D U G G

A N : W e l l , t h e r e a r e a n u m b e r o f t h e m a n d -- T H E C O U R T : Y eah . A l

l r i gh t . T h

er e's t h e on e I w as t h i n ki n g abou t , t h e ci v i l k in s h ip
. W e ll , c an y o u p oi n

t m e t o on e t h at

you ' r e b as i n g t h e i n s t r

u c t i on on ? M R
. D U G G

A N: N o.6

THE C O U

RT: I don ' t

s e e w h e r e it f it s . M R
. D U G G

A N: I t doe s n ot , Ju d ge . T H E C O U R T : D 6 i s r e f u s e d. ( E m ph a s i s a d de d) . A s t

h e t ri a l c ou r t h e l d, t h e i n s t r u c ti on s i m pl y doe s n ot f i t . A c c or di

n g l y , th e s o l e i s s u e o n a p p e a l h a s n o m e ri t. C ON C L U S I ON ¶1 4
. T h e tri a l c o u rt p ro p e rl

y re f u s e d th e i n s tru c ti o n d e ta i l i n g a l e s s e r- in c lu d e d c r i

m e to
s tatu to ry ra p e a s th e re i s n o s u c h c re atu re . B e c a u s e th e re w a s n

o e rro r, th

e j u d g m e n t o f th e t ri a l c ou r t i s a f f i r m e d. ¶ 15. CO N VI CTI O N O F S T A T U TO R Y

R APE AN D S EN TEN CE O F TW O AN D O N EHA L F (2 1⁄2 ) Y

E A R S I N T HEC U S T OD Y OF T H E M I S S I S S I P P

I D E P A R T M E N T

OF C O R R E C T I O N S, W

I T H C O N D I T I O N S, AFF

I R M E D . S M I T H , C. J . , W

ALLER AN D CO B B , P . J J . , EAS LEY , CAR LS O N , GR AVES , DI C K I NS O N A

ND RA NDO L PH , J J . , C O NC U

R.