Opinion ID: 1858937
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Death Penalty Standard of Review

Text: This Court's standard of review on an appeal for conviction of capital murder and sentence of death was explained in Williamson v. State, 512 So.2d 868, 872 (Miss. 1987): On appeal to this Court convictions of capital murder and sentences of death must be subjected to what has been labeled `heightened scrutiny.' Smith v. State, 499 So.2d 750, 756 (Miss. 1986); West v. State, 485 So.2d 681, 685 (Miss. 1985). Under this method of review, all bona fide doubts are to be resolved in favor of the accused because `what may be harmless error in a case with less at stake becomes reversible error when the penalty is death.' Irving v. State, 361 So.2d 1360, 1363 (Miss. 1978); see also, Fisher v. State, 481 So.2d 203, 211 (Miss. 1985) (quoting Irving ). With these principles as our guide, we now proceed to review the various propositions presented to us by the defendant. Williamson, 512 So.2d at 872. A. The trial court erred in admitting into evidence a confession obtained through interrogation initiated by investigators after defendant had requested counsel.