Opinion ID: 1111189
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 25

Heading: the trial court erred in limiting the appellant's closing argument in the sentencing phase, violating appellant's right to address the jury secured by section 26 of the mississippi constitution.

Text: In closing, Pinkney addressed the jury as follows: Y'all got the privilege to say I'm guilty, I mean, I'm sorry  let me take that back because the Judge advised me I can't say that because y'all already convict me. All I supposed to do now is beg for my life, to show sympathy for the Hickman family. In fact the trial judge, in chambers, had instructed Pinkney not to argue his guilt. No objection was ever made to this ruling. In this appeal Pinkney contends that the trial court's limitation on his address to the jury violated his rights under Section 26 of the Mississippi Constitution. See Gray v. State, 351 So.2d 1342, 1345 (Miss. 1977). We note that defense counsel, when he argued to the jury, argued residual doubt and in our view that renders this assignment without merit. See also, Cole v. State, supra . The limitation of Pinkney's argument did not deny him a fundamentally fair trial, and the same ground was covered by his attorney. This assignment of error is without merit.