Case Name: Hezekiah EDWARDS v. STATE of Mississippi
Court: Mississippi Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Mississippi
Decision Date: 1983-03-16
Citations: 441 So. 2d 84
Docket Number: No. 53800
Parties: Hezekiah EDWARDS v. STATE of Mississippi.
Judges: All Justices concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 441
Pages: 84–101

Head Matter:
Hezekiah EDWARDS v. STATE of Mississippi.
No. 53800.
Supreme Court of Mississippi.
March 16, 1983.
Rehearing Denied Dec. 14, 1983.
Stanfield & Holderfield, Percy S. Stan-field, Jr., Merrida P. Coxwell, Jr., Jackson, for appellant.
Bill Allain, Atty. Gen. by Catherine Walker Underwood, Sp. Asst. Atty. Gen., Jackson, for appellee.

Opinion:
PRATHER, Justice,
for the Court:
Hezekiah Edwards was indicted for capital murder after the shooting death of a Jackson police officer. At the conclusion of the guilt-finding phase of the bifurcated trial, the jury returned a verdict of guilty. Thereafter, the jury also determined that there were two statutory aggravating circumstances which outweighed any mitigating circumstances. Consequently, the jury found that the defendant should suffer the penalty of death. Finally, the lower court judge held that Edwards was an habitual criminal. As a result of these determinations, the Circuit Court for the First Judicial District of Hinds County sentenced Edwards to the penalty of death.
On appeal, Edwards raises four (4) assignments of error as follows:
(1) The jury's verdict was against the overwhelming weight of the law and evidence on the issue of appellant's insanity.
(2) The appellant was denied due process and a fair trial by improper and prejudicial statements made by the District Attorney.
(3) The death penalty constitutes cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments.
(4) The appellants' Eighth and Fourteenth Amendment rights were violated by the trial court's granting of statutory instruction (5)(h) contained in section 99-19-101 of the Mississippi Code Annotated (Supp.1982).
FACTS
On April 13, 1981, around 11:00 p.m., Officers Hickman and Brewer were called by radio to investigate an incident involving an armed man on Lynch Street. The officers then drove their patrol car up to the sidewalk on the 900 block of Lynch Street in front of Alexander's Cafe. When Officer Brewer stopped the car, the officers observed that one black male was sitting on a metal folding chair just inside the door at Alexander's Cafe. As the officers exited their car, the black male said: "I'm the night watchman. I'm just getting some air." Officer Hickman then replied: "Do you have a shotgun in there?" Immediately, the black male stood up as he picked up a shotgun and fired two (2) shots in rapid succession at Officer Hickman.
Both officers responded to the incident by shooting at the black male, injuring him in the shoulder. Meanwhile, Officers Paxton and lies had arrived on the scene to aid Brewer and Hickman. While Paxton shut the cafe door, Brewer and Isles pulled Hickman into the front entrance of the Old Night Train Lounge.
Hezekiah Edwards walked out of Alexander's Cafe, with his hands raised and his shoulder bloodied. He stated: "Police, don't shoot. The man doing all the shooting just went up through the loft." When the officers searched the cafe, no one else was found and there were no other exits from the cafe. Officer Brewer stated that Edwards was the man who shot Hickman.
Officer Hickman was found dead on arrival at the hospital. In the opinion of Dr. Michael G. Connor, a pathologist who performed the autopsy, the victim lost consciousness within a matter of seconds, and died no later than five (5) minutes after being shot. The autopsy revealed 286 pellet wounds to the hip region and upper back.
Following a motion filed by the State, the circuit court ordered Edwards to be transferred on April 19, 1981 to the Mississippi State Hospital at Whitfield. While there, he was subjected to a battery of psychological tests to resolve any questions concerning his capacity to stand trial and his criminal responsibility under the M'Naghten Rule. On November 10, 1981, the Court also ordered a psychiatrist at the University Medical Center to examine Edwards' mental condition. It was the unanimous conclusion of all of these experts that, while he was definitely suffering several emotional disorders, Edwards knew right from wrong at the time of the murder. [The expert's testimony will be reviewed in detail in the discussion below].
GUILT PHASE
I.
The crucial issue to be resolved in this case is whether the jury verdict on the insanity issue was against the weight of the evidence. For several years, our jurisdiction has chosen to apply the M'Naghten Rule as the basic step in resolving this issue. Laney v. State, 421 So.2d 1216 (Miss.1982); Harvey v. State, 207 So.2d 108 (Miss.1968); Cunningham v. State, 56 Miss. 269 (1879). The rule is stated as follows:
[T]o establish a defense on the ground of insanity, it must be clearly proved that, at the time of the committing of the act, the party accused was labouring under such a defect of reason, from disease of the mind, as not to know the nature and quality of the act he was doing; or, if he did know it, that he did not know he was doing what was wrong. (R. Perkins, Criminal Law 859 (2d ed. 1969) (quoting from M'Naghten's Case, 10 Clark & F. 200, 210, 8 Eng.Rep. 718, 722 (1843)).
In applying this rule, there is a presumption that the accused is sane; and therefore, the burden is initially on the defendant to introduce evidence creating a reasonable doubt of his sanity. Herron v. State, 287 So.2d 759 (Miss.1974); Ford v. State, 73 Miss. 734, 19 So. 665 (1896). However, once the defendant has overcome this initial burden, it is the burden of the state to present sufficient evidence to prove the defendant's sanity beyond a reasonable doubt. Lias v. State, 362 So.2d 198 (Miss.1978); Myrick v. State, 290 So.2d 259 (Miss.1974). Expert witnesses are frequently used, as well as lay witnesses, to state their opinions of the accused's mental state with regard to the M'Naghten Rule. Such opinions must be based on personal knowledge, and the jury is not bound to accept the conclusions of any expert. Hollins v. State, 340 So.2d 438 (Miss.1976); Smith v. State, 245 So.2d 583 (Miss.1971).
In the instant case, there was a great variety of psychological and psychiatric evidence pertaining to Edwards' sanity, including past medical records. The records reflected the appellant's mental history from 1975 through August of 1980.
Beginning chronologically, Edwards was first diagnosed by Dr. James W. Doolos, a psychiatrist, and Dr. Andrew T. Pickens, the staff psychiatrist at the federal penitentiary at Springfield, Missouri. Dr. Pickens' diagnosis of the appellant on March 18,1975 was "chronic paranoid schizophrenia in partial remission with prominent anxiety features." On June 15, 1976, Dr. Doolos also diagnosed Edwards as suffering from chronic paranoid schizophrenia. While under these doctors' care, Edwards was treated with such drugs as prolixin, cogentin and valium. Edwards was eventually discharged after treatment for two (2) years at the Springfield Medical Center as a chronic schizophrenic in partial remission with medication.
On June 24, 1976, the appellant was examined at the Mississippi State Hospital by Dr. Dave Davidson. His diagnosis was: "This patient with the diagnosis of paranoia schizophrenia does not appear grossly psychotic at the present time.... He's being given a prescription for stelazine ten milligrams twice a day. The prognosis is guarded."
Again in 1980, Doctors Deborah E. Rogers and Mary E. Brown diagnosed Edwards as a paranoid schizophrenic and he was committed to Whitfield pursuant to court order. Edwards had previously been committed to Whitfield in 1966, and he had two other family members who had also been committed there. While at Whitfield on the latter occasion, Dr. Billy Graham, a staff psychiatrist, diagnosed Edwards as suffering from schizophrenia, paranoid type. Dr. Graham treated the appellant with prolixin and also gave a guarded prognosis. Edwards was eventually discharged from Whitfield in 1980. Apparently, Edwards left the hospital without permission, but the staff made no effort to bring him back. There was no reason given for the discharge.
The following is an example of the type of feelings the appellant had while voluntarily committed in 1976:
A. Feels that people are out to get him. Tells the story that his brother raped his girl and when his son grew up, they came looking for him. He said his nephews did not — didn't know him from anybody else and he was afraid they might jump on him. He stays scared all the time.
Q. All right. And the attached history from the Federal Prison in Springfield, Missouri was that the inmates were out to kill him, was it not?
A. Right.
Several lay witnesses who knew Edwards also testified that he was indeed "off," "weird," or "crazy." Albert Hill was the individual who alerted others that Edwards was armed and shooting a rifle on Lynch Street. He testified that Edwards told him he was carrying a shotgun because: "Cuz, these niggers been messin over me and I gonna get them." The victim was white.
In contrast to the above evidence, the state offered four (4) expert witnesses who had recently examined the appellant. Each expert testified that in his opinion, Edwards knew the difference between right and wrong and appreciated the nature and quality of his actions at the time of the crime.
Dr. Charlton S. Stanley, a forensic psychologist, performed a battery of psychological examinations on Edwards at the Mississippi State Hospital at Whitfield. Stanley testified that Edwards was administered the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Test, which is a test of intelligence; the Rorschach Ink Blot Technique Test, which is a personality test; the Sentence Completion Form, which is a handwritten personality test; and the Human Figure Drawings Test. Dr. Stanley described appellant's behavior throughout the examination as uncooperative and oppositional. In other words, Edwards deliberately tried to mislead the examiners.
Stanley testified that the Weehsler test revealed Edwards' I.Q. to be 83, a score which is considered to be a little below average but not retarded. The Rorschach Ink Blot Test indicated that Edwards was guarded and cautious, impulsive, immature, self-centered, and an extremely angry and hostile man. In interpreting the results of the Sentence Completion Form, Dr. Stanley commented that the appellant's thoughts were clear and logical, and indicated no delusional beliefs. Stanley added that Edwards' sentences frequently directly contradicted each other, a further indication that Edwards was oppositional. The Human Figure Drawing Test suggested that Edwards identified with children more than adults, that he displayed temper tantrums, and that he was very suspicious.
In Dr. Stanley's opinion, Edwards had a personality disorder professionally known as anti-social type. In laymen's terms, the disorder is frequently called psychopath or criminal personality. Dr. Stanley stated that it was very difficult to be ruled legally insane under the M'Naghten Rule, and concluded that Edwards was nowhere near legally insane. On cross-examination, Stanley admitted that "a person can be legally sane under . the M'Naghten Rule and still be medically insane or suffering from grave emotional and debilitating disorders." Stanley added that he disagreed with the diagnosis from 1975 through 1980 that indicated paranoid schizophrenia. He stated that Edwards was not suffering from any delusions. Stanley concluded by commenting that even some paranoid schizophrenics can tell the difference between right and wrong.
Dr. Robert L. McKinley, Jr., a psychiatrist, examined Edwards along with Stanley and Dr. Guild, another psychiatrist, at Whitfield. His diagnosis was "paranoid personality with anti-social features and alcohol abuse." Dr. McKinley stated that Edwards definitely knew right from wrong, and he totally disagreed with all former diagnoses that Edwards was schizophrenic. He defined paranoid schizophrenia as a mental illness in which a person has delusions or false beliefs that are patently absurd. McKinley added that many paranoid schizophrenics still know right from wrong. On cross-examination, McKinley acknowledged that Edwards had a long history of hallucinations that people were out to get him. He also admitted that it was a medical probability that the defendant had an automatic remission (without the aid of drugs), and that such a remission could have possibly occurred after the shooting incident and before the psychological examination.
Dr. Donald C. Guild diagnosed the appellant as suffering no psychosis, but that the appellant had a paranoid personality with antisocial features. In other words, Edwards was not suffering from any major mental illness. He defined antisocial features as a repeated conflict with the law, and having no conscience. In Dr. Guild's opinion, Edwards' ("the man doing all the shooting just went up through the loft") statement indicated that he knew that there had been a shooting, that he knew the police were looking for the man who had committed the act, and that he knew to blame someone else. Guild added that placing the blame on someone else indicated an understanding of right and wrong.
Dr. Garfield Tourney, a professor of psychiatry at the University Medical Center, conducted his own individual psychiatric examination and evaluation of Edwards as a result of a court order. His diagnosis of Edwards, conducted on November 12, 1981, was as follows: "alcohol abuse, long standing and chronic; personality disorder — difficulty in getting along with people; probably dull normal to borderline intelligence." On cross-examination, Tourney admitted that, in making the above diagnosis, he was not aware of the appellant's past medical history.
In resolving this dispute, we note that the defendant's medical history indicates that he may be suffering from schizophrenia, but none of the experts treating Edwards from 1975-1980 were concerned with determining his legal sanity under the M'Naghten Rule. In fact, several of the state's expert witnesses indicated that schizophrenics could still tell right from wrong. Moreover, four experts testified that Edwards could distinguish right from wrong when he murdered Hickman. In light of this evidence, it is difficult to challenge the jury's conclusion that Edwards was criminally M'Naghten responsible. We therefore find no error in this first assignment.
II.
The next assignment of error contends that the appellant was denied a fair trial as a result of allegedly improper closing remarks made by the district attorney during the sentencing phase. The district attorney's remarks were as follows:
And that's what your job is today. To decide whether or not this man can shoot a police officer in the back with two loads of shotgun shells and go up there for life imprisonment. And believe me, Mr. Stanfield nor I neither one knows what that means. He said to you that it meant — he said to you in this language: "Life imprisonment is the only answer. Let's send him up there and let him stay up there forever." But he didn't tell you that we're going to do that—
BY MR. STANFIELD: Your Honor, we object to this argument.
BY THE COURT: Overruled.
BY MR. PETERS: All he said was that's the answer. And maybe it is if that were so, but we don't know that that's so.
The doctors have said that the only way to cure this type of person is to get them out of society permanently and Mr. Stanfield has not told you that putting him in life imprisonment is going to keep him up there permanently, even though he would have you to believe that by saying that's the only answer.
BY MR. STANFIELD: I'd like a continuing objection, Your Honor, to this line of argument.
BY THE COURT: Overruled.
In Clemons v. State, 320 So.2d 368 (Miss.1975), our Court provided a lengthy discussion for guidance in resolving closing argument issues. The Court stated:
So long as counsel in his address to the jury keeps fairly within the evidence and the issues involved, wide latitude of discussion is allowed; but, when he departs entirely from the evidence in his argument, or makes statements intended solely to excite the passions or prejudices of the jury, or makes inflammatory and damaging statements of fact not found in the evidence, the trial judge should intervene to prevent an unfair argument. Moreover, this Court will not withhold a reversal where such statements are so inflammatory [in the judgment of this Court] as to influence the verdict of the jury, and thus prevent a fair trial.
[Emphasis added].
[Id. at 371-72],
According to the capital murder sentencing statute, section 99-19-101 of the Mississippi Code Annotated (Supp.1982), the decision of whether to sentence the defendant to death is based on a weighing of aggravating and mitigating factors. There is absolutely no valid reason for suggesting to the jury that the defendant will one day be free. However, the analysis does not end there. As suggested by the State's brief, the defendant's counsel invited the district attorney's remarks. During closing, Mr. Stanfield argued:
He admits to being 70, 80 or 90 years of age, but we know that generically, he is 59 years of age. We know from the American Standard Tables — Mortality Tables that his life expectancy will run approximately another eleven years and we know that life imprisonment will nev er let him see the outside free world again.
It is an old principle that an attorney who invites error cannot complain of it, Wood v. State, 324 So.2d 251 (Miss.1976); Jackson v. State, 131 So. 411 (1931); Ransom v. State, 149 Miss. 262, 115 So. 208 (1928), and this principle negates any merit that the appellant's contention may have had.
III.
The appellant's third contention is that the death penalty constitutes a per se constitutional violation under any circumstances. This contention is obviously without merit, and needs no further comment. Roberts v. Louisiana, 428 U.S. 325, 96 S.Ct. 3001, 49 L.Ed.2d 974 (1976); Jurek v. Texas, 428 U.S. 262, 96 S.Ct. 2950, 49 L.Ed.2d 929 (1976); Gregg v. Georgia, 428 U.S. 153, 96 S.Ct. 2909, 49 L.Ed.2d 859 (1976).
AFFIRMED AS TO GUILT PHASE.
All Justices concur.
ON SENTENCE PHASE
PER CURIAM:
Hereafter follow opinions regarding the sentence phase only. These opinions evidence a majority vote for vacation of the sentence of death but fail to reflect a majority view on disposition thereafter.
IV.
THE APPELLANT'S EIGHTH AND FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT RIGHTS WERE VIOLATED BY THE TRIAL COURT IN GRANTING TO THE STATE AN AGGRAVATING CIRCUMSTANCE THAT THE CRIME WAS "ESPECIALLY HEINOUS, ATROCIOUS, OR CRUEL" (Mississippi Code, Annotated, Section 99-19-101(5)(h); AND THE EVIDENCE DID NOT SUPPORT THE JURY'S FINDING OF THE STATUTORY AGGRAVATING CIRCUMSTANCES.
BOWLING, Justice,
for the majority:
Appellant contends that the facts as applied to the law of the case prohibited the granting by the court of an instruction authorizing the jury to find as an aggravating circumstance in the sentencing phase that "the capital offense was especially heinous, atrocious or cruel." There is a contention, among others, that the court should have gone further and instructed the jury that it was necessary for them to find appellant's act "conscienceless or pitiless . unnecessarily torturous to the victim," as discussed by this Court in Coleman v. State, 378 So.2d 640 (Miss.1979). In answering this first contention, the record reveals that there was no request by the appellant for such an extra instruction and he is procedurally barred from raising that issue here. Newell v. State, 308 So.2d 71 (Miss.1975). Regardless of this procedural bar, we do not find, as hereinafter discussed that the addition of these words was necessary even though they had been requested. In Washington v. State, 361 So.2d 61 (Miss.1978), we stated as follows:
The facts in no two cases are exactly identical and no precise definition or formula can be made to cover every possible factual situation.
It is our considered opinion that the average jury in its sound discretion and judgment understands the generally accepted meaning of the words "especially heinous, atrocious or cruel" and is able to apply these words to different factual situations without further definition of these words.
It is our opinion that these words are not unconstitutionally vague.
Appellant relies primarily on the ease of Godfrey v. Georgia, 446 U.S. 420, 100 S.Ct. 1759, 64 L.Ed.2d 398 (1980). There a plurality of the court reversed the appellant's death sentence stating that the trial court erroneously authorized a jury to find aggravating circumstances under only one statutory provision: that the killing was "outrageously or wantonly vile, horrible or inhuman in that it involved torture, depravity of mind, or an aggravated battery to the vie- tim." Georgia Code § 27-26841(5X7). It should be noted at the outset that this was the only aggravating circumstance submitted to the jury by the trial court, although the Georgia statute provided for other aggravating circumstances, if applicable. An important distinguishing feature we shall discuss, which was relied on by the plurality when it said:
[T]he jury imposed sentences of death on both of the murder convictions. As to each, the jury specified that the aggravating circumstance they had found beyond a reasonable doubt was that the offense of murder was outrageously or wantonly vile, horrible and inhuman.
The basis of the plurality opinion was that all murders could be said to be outrageous, or wantonly vile, horrible, and inhuman. We clearly do not have a situation in the case sub judice that confronted the widely divided court in Godfrey, supra. The Mississippi statute defining aggravating circumstances to be considered by the jury lists eight in number. In addition to "the capital offense was especially heinous, atrocious or cruel," [MCA § 99-19-101(5) (h), (Supp.1980) ], the court in the case sub judice authorized the jury to find another aggravating circumstance, to-wit: "The capital offense was committed to disrupt or hinder the lawful exercise of any governmental function or the enforcement of laws." [MCA § 99-19-101(5)(g) (Supp.1980)].
The evidence was undisputed that at the time appellant killed the deceased, the latter and his companion were dressed in police uniforms, had driven up in a plainly marked police department vehicle, and the area was lighted. Undisputedly, appellant was in a position to see clearly all of these circumstances.
As previously discussed under Godfrey, supra, the quoted language of the Georgia statute was the "only" aggravating circumstance presented for the jury's consideration. In the case sub judice, we have another equally important aggravating statutory circumstance that the jury not only easily could have found to be present, but would have been manifestly wrong in not considering that circumstance, as it was undisputed.
Appellant relies on the Louisiana Supreme Court case of State v. Sonnier, 402 So.2d 650 (La.1981). It is noted that the Louisiana Court agreed with the plurality opinion in Godfrey regarding the aggravating circumstance of "especially heinous, atrocious or cruel." The Louisiana Court then went further and affirmed the conviction and death penalty for the reason that, as in the case sub judice, other statutory and aggravating circumstances were presented for the jury's consideration which amply supported the verdict. The Louisiana Court stated:
There was no evidence that the male victim was subjected to any serious physical abuse, and the evidence may not be constitutionally sufficient to support a finding that the female was the victim of torture or the pitiless infliction of unnecessary pain.
However, the evidence was clearly sufficient to support the jury's findings of four out of the five aggravating circumstances it listed. A majority of this Court has held that it knows of no constitutional requirements that a death sentence be vacated whenever the jury errs in only one of its findings of several statutory aggravating circumstances. State v. Monroe, 397 So.2d 1258 (La.1981). Accordingly, the failure of one aggravating circumstance in this case does not so taint the proceedings as to invalidate the other aggravating circumstances found or the sentence of death.
The Supreme Court of Florida in Peek v. State, 395 So.2d 492 (Fla.1980), recognized that even though one or more statutory aggravating circumstances were improperly submitted to the jury, the jury could consider other properly submitted aggravating circumstances without requiring a reversal of the case.
Thus, we have two clearly valid aggravating circumstances, one contested but valid aggravating circumstance, and no mitigating circumstances. We find that the trial court's improper consideration of the two aggravating circumstances concerning pecuniary gain and commission of the offense while on probation does not render the sentence invalid.
In our opinion the above discussion regarding Godfrey, supra, as it applies to the case sub judice, is sufficient to affirm on the presently discussed assignment of error. We go further, however, and discuss aggravating circumstances (h), as it applies to the undisputed facts presented the jury during the trial, which record was introduced on the sentencing phase. Upon objection by appellant of the one aggravating circumstance of "especially heinous, atrocious and cruel", the trial court in overruling the objection stated:
Well, I find, in my opinion, the testimony shows that the deceased was shot with a shotgun with No. 6 shots at a distance that it would clearly cover the entire body and it was fired twice, once in one side while the victim was retreating and the second shot, which was the fatal shot, was fired while he was moving away from him. I feel that that is for the jury's consideration.
The undisputed facts are that appellant deliberately aimed the shotgun at the deceased and fired two times in succession. The first blast of the shotgun hit the deceased in the side and the second hit the deceased in the back while he was attempting to retreat. A large number of pellets struck the body of the deceased over both his side and back. The deceased then called to his companion that he had been hit. After these occurrences, the deceased was conscious long enough to fire all six rounds from his .357 Magnum, Smith & Wesson, weapon in the direction of appellant. Certainly, there was a question for the jury as to whether or not deceased suffered physical agony and mental anguish. The testimony was certainly sufficient for the jury to find that the infliction of the wounds was "unnecessarily torturous" and was "pitiless". As stated in Spinkellink v. Wainwright, 578 F.2d 582 (5th Cir.1978), "we feel that the term 'especially heinous, atrocious and cruel,' is a matter of common knowledge so that ordinary men would not have to guess at what was intended."
In Godfrey, supra, not only was there just one aggravating circumstance submitted to the jury, there is the additional fact that both of the deceaseds were killed instantly. The crime was committed in the heat of passion, resulting from family difficulties. We find that the plurality opinion in God-frey does not apply to the case sub judice. Even with this clear situation there were a number of dissenting opinions in Godfrey based on the facts of that particular case.
We conclude that under the undisputed evidence in this case, the aggravating circumstance of "especially heinous, atrocious and cruel" was proper. In addition, and as a completely separate and distinct reason, we conclude that even though it had been improper, the fact that another undisputed aggravating circumstance was properly presented for the jury's consideration, requires that the case should be affirmed as to this assignment of error.
WALKER and BROOM, P. JJ., and ROY NOBLE LEE and DAN M. LEE, JJ., join in this Part IY.
PATTERSON, C.J., and HAWKINS, PRATHER and ROBERTSON, JJ., dissent.
V.
HAWKINS, Justice,
on sentence review:
Appellate review is ordinarily limited to well defined and circumscribed guidelines. In death penalty cases we have additional duties imposed upon us by statute stretching beyond the usual review.
One of these duties is to consider the punishment, and we have the authority to set the death sentence aside, and remand the case for modification of the sentence to imprisonment for life.
The pertinent portions of Miss.Code Ann. § 99-19-105 (Supp.1982) read:
§ 99-19-105. Review by supreme court of imposition of death penalty.
(1) Whenever the death penalty is imposed, and upon the judgment becoming final in the trial court, the sentence shall be reviewed on the record by the Mississippi Supreme Court.
(2) The Mississippi Supreme Court shall consider the punishment as well as any errors enumerated by way of appeal.
(5) . In addition to its authority regarding correction of errors, the court, with regard to review of death sentences, shall be authorized to:
(a) Affirm the sentence of death; or
(b) Set the sentence aside and remand the case for modification of the sentence to imprisonment for life.
(6) The sentence review shall be in addition to direct appeal, .
The evidence in this case is overwhelming, if indeed not without contradiction, that Edwards has a long history of suffering from the mental disease schizophrenia of a paranoid type.
Medically this is defined as:
schizophrenia — the most common type of psychosis, characterized by extensive withdrawal of the individual's interest from other people and the outside world and the investment of it in his own self.
paranoid s. — schizophrenia characterized predominantly by delusions of persecution and megalomania.
Stedman's Medical Dictionary 1125 (22nd ed. 1972).
The medical definition of this disease is little more than a general description of its symptoms. Medical science has noted this affliction in countless multitudes of cases, yet knowledge of its etiology and cure remain for the most part unknown. Its treatment remains clinical, empirical.
That schizophrenia of a paranoid type is one of the most dangerous types of mental diseases to society is a fact, however, the knowledge of which is not restricted to the medical profession. That a person suffering from this disorder may present a grave danger when loosed upon society is a fact well known to law enforcement agencies as well.
Such a person is mentally disoriented; he sincerely believes he is being maligned, mistreated, or perhaps in danger of losing his life in totally imaginary ways at the hands of totally innocent people.
That such a person can constitute a serious danger to innocent and unsuspecting people has been demonstrated upon thousands of occasions.
The jury in this case was properly instructed on guilt and found upon disputed issues of fact that Edwards possessed the mental capacity to commit a crime, i.e., that he knew the difference between right and wrong. On his guilt, and bare mental culpability, the issue has been decided adversely to him.
Equally clear is the inescapable fact that Edwards is a seriously and dangerously mentally ill person, an illness for which, insofar as medical science can determine, Edwards himself is blameless.
Although the slaying of this law enforcement officer was as senseless as it was horrible, barbarism would attend our affirming the death penalty. We therefore set the sentence of death aside, and remand the case for modification of the sentence to imprisonment for life. We further hold that the circuit judge correctly determined that Edwards was an habitual criminal and, pursuant to Miss.Code Ann. § 99-19-81 (Supp.1981), this sentence of life imprisonment would not grant Edwards eligibility for reduction, suspension, parole, or probation for said sentence. See Taylor v. State, 426 So.2d 775, (Miss.1983).
PATTERSON, C.J., and ROY NOBLE LEE, J., join this part.
. The jury specifically found that: (1) The capital offense was committed to disrupt or hinder the enforcement of laws and (2) the capital murder was especially heinous, atrocious and cruel.
. The defendant was convicted and sentenced to serve a term of one year for the crime of grand larceny on December 12, 1940. He was also convicted and sentenced for the crime of burglary on April 4, 1960.
. When any person shall be indicted for an offense and acquitted on the ground of insanity the jury rendering the verdict shall state therein such ground and whether the accused has since been restored to his reason, and whether he be dangerous to the community. And if the jury certify that such person is still insane and dangerous the judge shall order him to be conveyed to and confined in one of the state asylums for the insane. [Miss.Code Ann. § 99-13-7 (1972) ].
A mental patient seeking release from such confinement by habeas corpus assumes the burden of proof that he has recovered his sanity and is no longer likely to cause harm to himself or others. Bethany v. Stubbs, 393 So.2d 1351 (Miss.1981).
. The M'Naghten rule "directs jurors to hold responsible a great many persons who are seriously disturbed and makes successful assertion of the insanity defense virtually impossible." A. Goldstein, The Insanity Defense 49 (1967).
. In oral argument the state's attorney readily agreed to this observation, and expressed shock, given Edwards' history, that he had ever been released from the state mental hospital.
. It should also be noted that in the sentencing phase of a capital murder trial two of the mitigating circumstances to be considered by the jury are:
The offense was committed while the defendant was under the influence of extreme mental or emotional disturbance.
The capacity of the defendant to appreciate the criminality of his conduct or to conform his conduct to the requirements of law was substantially impaired.
Miss.Code Ann. § 99-19-101(6)(b), (f) (Supp. 1982).
In our view the sentencing jury failed to give adequate consideration to these two circumstances so dramatically clear from the evidence in this record.