Opinion ID: 1919690
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: The prosecution relied on uncharged criminal conduct to support a death sentence in this case.

Text: Davis argues that the State improperly relied upon evidence that tended to show that Davis had burglarized Jewel McLaurin's house on the day preceding the Dr. Duck's robbery and shooting. Davis contends that the evidence regarding the burglary of McLaurin's house was irrelevant and tended to mislead the jurors by diverting their minds from the issue of whether Davis was innocent or guilty of the crime at bar. West v. State, 463 So.2d 1048, 1052 (Miss. 1985). Therefore, Davis argues, the prosecution's use of the McLaurin burglary warrants reversal of his conviction and death sentence. This Court has generally held that evidence must be limited to the criminal activity charged in the indictment and evidence of other crimes must be excluded. Brown v. State, 483 So.2d 328, 330 (Miss. 1986); Tobias v. State, 472 So.2d 398, 400 (Miss. 1985). However, we have established exceptions to the general rule. Proof of another crime is permissible where the offense charged, and that offered to be proved, are so interrelated as to constitute a single transaction or occurrence or a closely related series of transactions. Ladner v. State, 584 So.2d 743, 758 (Miss. 1991), cert. denied, 502 U.S. 1015, 112 S.Ct. 663, 116 L.Ed.2d 754 (1991). The Mississippi Rules of Evidence provide when evidence of other crimes, wrongs, or acts may be admissible in a criminal prosecution. M.R.E. 404(b) provides: (b) Other Crimes, Wrongs, or Acts. Evidence of other crimes, wrongs, or acts is not admissible to prove the character of a person in order to show that he acted in conformity therewith. It may, however, be admissible for other purposes such as proof of motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, or absence of mistake or accident. Notwithstanding Davis' argument, the evidence of the McLaurin burglary is admissible under M.R.E. 404(b). The prosecution did not introduce evidence relating to Davis' alleged burglary of McLaurin's home in order to show bad character. Instead, the prosecution used the evidence to prove identity and opportunity. At trial, Davis attacked the State's linkage of the EIG .22 caliber pistol found near Slaton's abandoned car and near the knife with Davis' fingerprints on it to the murder committed at Dr. Duck's. Davis also challenged the State's proof that the EIG.22 caliber pistol recovered at Lake Dockery had ever been in Davis' possession or that it was the weapon used to murder Biggert. Davis cross-examined FBI Agent Albrecht and elicited testimony that, he [Albrecht] could not determine that the bullet recovered from Biggert was fired from the gun recovered at Lake Dockery. On cross-examination, Davis elicited testimony from FBI Agent Ash that the gun recovered at Lake Dockery had no fingerprints on it. In the case at bar, the evidence of the burglary was offered to show that Davis had the opportunity to acquire possession of the gun prior to Biggert's killing. Testimony developed at trial indicated that Davis cut firewood with his brother-in-law David Sikes and Jewel McLaurin's next door neighbor, Billy Hudson. Davis' sister Linda testified that on the day of the McLaurin burglary, Davis had gone to Hudson's house (McLaurin's next door neighbor) because he hoped to find David Sikes so that he could get Sikes to give him a ride to his [Davis'] parents' home in Florence. Likewise, the evidence of the burglary was offered to establish that the identity of the person who used the pistol during the Dr. Duck's robbery was the same as the person who was seen in the neighborhood of the McLaurin house carrying a duffel bag on the day of the burglary. Slaton, the pawnshop clerk, testified that the McLaurin gun found at Lake Dockery looked like the one that Davis used in the robbery and shooting. Special Agent Gus Gary of the ATF testified that he traced the pistol found at Lake Dockery to Oliver McLaurin. Oliver McLaurin testified that the pistol was identical to the pistol that he had given his mother, Jewel McLaurin. Jewel McLaurin testified that the pistol found at Lake Dockery looked like the one that had been stolen from her house on February 22, 1989. In fact, the pistol found at Lake Dockery was the gun stolen from Jewel McLaurin's home on February 22, 1989. At trial, it was necessary for the prosecution to discuss the February 22, 1989, burglary to establish identity and opportunity. Evidence of the burglary was necessary so that the State might be able to tell the jury a rational and coherent story as to how the pistol came to be found near the rest of the physical evidence linking Davis to the Dr. Duck's robbery and murder. Duplantis v. State, 644 So.2d 1235, 1247 (Miss. 1994); Ladner v. State, 584 So.2d at 758. Therefore, Davis is not entitled to relief on this assignment of error. Davis, on appeal, argues for the first time that the prosecution erroneously mentioned the McLaurin burglary during the penalty phase of his trial. The record indicates that Davis did not object to this comment during closing argument and, therefore, he is procedurally barred from raising this issue on appeal. Foster, 639 So.2d at 1289; Ahmad v. State, 603 So.2d 843, 847 (Miss. 1992).