Opinion ID: 1610587
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 28

Heading: Was Nixon entitled to a mercy instruction?

Text: Conceding his argument has been previously rejected by this Court, Nixon contends he was entitled to a jury instruction informing the jury of its option to recommend a life sentence, even where the aggravating circumstances outweighed the mitigating circumstances. Identical arguments were rejected by this Court in Wiley v. State, 484 So.2d 339, 349 (Miss. 1986); Johnson v. State, 477 So.2d 196, 221 (Miss. 1985); Cabello v. State, 471 So.2d 332, 348 (Miss. 1985); Jordan v. State, 464 So.2d 475, 479 (Miss. 1985); Hill v. State, 432 So.2d 427, 442 (Miss. 1983). Nixon's complaint stems from the trial court's refusal of jury instruction D-13 which the trial judge held was redundant with instruction D-3. Jury instruction D-3 read, The Court instructs the jury that you need not find any mitigating circumstances in order to return a sentence of life imprisonment. Clearly Nixon was in fact afforded a mercy instruction which gives Nixon no basis upon which to complain.