Opinion ID: 1706565
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 20

Heading: Limitation of Time

Text: Willie contends that the trial judge's time limitation of Willie's closing argument denied him a fair trial. The trial judge asked the parties whether ten minutes would be sufficient time to close for the sentencing phase. Willie responded that he would like at least twenty-five minutes. The judge granted fifteen minutes to the side. The trial judge later denied that he had limited closing argument to fifteen minutes and stated that he did not believe Willie was serious in his request for additional time. Willie responded by offering to read to the court portions of his closing argument which he never had time to say. We do not agree that Willie did not seriously request additional time. The record is clear  Willie requested twenty-five minutes and was granted fifteen. Generally, the amount of time granted for closing argument rests within the sound discretion of the trial judge. Gray v. State, 351 So.2d 1342, 1346 (Miss. 1977), cert. denied, 446 U.S. 988, 100 S.Ct. 2975, 64 L.Ed.2d 847 (1980); Hollins v. State, 340 So.2d 438, 441 (Miss. 1976) [citing Lee v. State, 51 Miss. 566 (1875)]. This discretion is not absolute, and we have instructed the lower courts to proceed with caution when limiting the time for closing argument in a criminal trial: [T]o limit the argument of counsel for the defense in a criminal prosecution is a matter of great delicacy, and should be done with the utmost prudence and caution... . When the time for the argument of counsel to the jury is restricted by the court, it should be very clear that the right of the accused to be heard has not been essentially impaired, and that an opportunity for making full and complete defense on the whole case has not been denied. What time would be necessary or reasonable for this purpose would depend, to a great extent, upon the character and circumstances of the particular case. Ray v. State, 330 So.2d 580, 586 (Miss. 1976) [quoting Wingo v. State, 62 Miss. 311, 315 (1884)]; see also, Gray, 351 So.2d at 1346. We have found that restricting closing argument in the sentencing stage to twelve minutes in a capital murder case was clearly an abuse of discretion. Gray, 351 So.2d at 1346. We also have found that a limitation of closing argument to thirty minutes to a side in a case involving discharge of a firearm into a dwelling was an abuse of discretion. Ray, 330 So.2d at 586. In light of these cases, we have difficulty accepting the State's position that the judge's limitation to fifteen minutes for closing argument is not an abuse of discretion. Life is at stake during this stage of the proceeding. Do we, the judiciary, so little value a defendant's life that we cannot grant more than fifteen minutes to allow a defendant to make a full and complete plea or argument to a jury to spare him from execution? We think not. A defendant must be allowed, within reason, whatever time he believes is necessary to seek a penalty less than death. Willie's request for twenty-five minutes was within reason. Despite the limitation, if Willie had sufficient time to give his closing argument, we will not reverse. Cf. Hollins, 340 So.2d at 441. By offering to read to the trial court portions of his closing argument which he never had time to say, Willie clearly demonstrated that he was prejudiced by not being allowed to make a full and complete closing argument. The trial judge abused his discretion, and because we cannot conclude that Willie's right to be heard was not impaired, we reverse and remand for a new trial on sentencing.