Opinion ID: 1690126
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Did the trial court err in accepting the jury verdict, which set forth verbatim the jury instruction on the State's theory of the case?

Text: ś 32. Jordan contends that the jury verdict, which followed the above instruction verbatim, was not responsive to the jury instructions and offered no assurance that the jury had found the elements of heinous, atrocious and cruel beyond a reasonable doubt. Jordan cites authority which states that the jury verdict must be clear and unambiguous, especially in a capital murder case. United States v. Morris, 612 F.2d 483, 490 (10th Cir.1979); United States v. Lee, 532 F.2d 911, 913 (3rd Cir. 1976); Cook v. United States, 379 F.2d 966, 968 (5th Cir.1967); Duggan v. State, 256 So.2d 511 (Miss.1972); Owens v. State, 82 Miss. 18, 33 So. 718, 720 (1903). He argues that the jury's verdict was not clear and unambiguous since the jury did not say that it had found beyond a reasonable doubt that the State had proved the theory contained in the instruction made the crime committed especially heinous, atrocious and cruel. ś 33. This claim is procedurally barred since we have held that objections to the form of a verdict will be barred unless the objection is made when the verdict is returned. Edwards v. State, 737 So.2d 275, 306-07 (Miss.1999); Smith v. State, 729 So.2d 1191, 1216-17 (Miss.1998). No such objection was made. ś 34. Addressing the merits, we note that the jury verdict in this case is not in ideal form. Apparently, the jury did not take the time to reword aggravator number 3 into a responsive and affirmative statement, as opposed to a suggestion or question. However, the entire verdict leaves no doubt as to what the jury found: We, the jury, unanimously find from the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that the following facts existed at the time of the commission of the Capital Murder. 1. That the defendant actually killed Edwina Marter. Next, we the jury, unanimously find that the aggravating circumstances of: 1. Richard Jordan committed the Capital Murder while engaged in the crime of Kidnapping Edwina Marter. 2. Richard Jordan committed the Capital Murder for pecuniary gain. 3. Richard Jordan committed a Capital offense which was especially heinous, atrocious & cruel & whether the murder was conscienceless & pitiless. In support of this circumstance the State claims that Edwina Marter was murdered in execution style & that she was subjected to extreme mental torture caused by her abduction from the home wherein she was forced to abandon her unattended three year old child & removed to a wooded area at which time she was shot in the back of the head by Jordan. exist beyond a reasonable doubt & are sufficient to us to impose the death penalty and that there are insufficient mitigating circumstances to out weigh the aggravating circumstances and we further find unanimously that the defendant should suffer death. ś 35. A fair reading of the verdict convinces us that the jury's decision is unambiguous and Jordan's claim is without merit. See, e.g., Wilson v. State, 197 Miss. 17, 20, 19 So.2d 475 (1944) (Ordinarily, [a] verdict is sufficient in form if it expresses the intent of the jury so that the court can understand it.).