Opinion ID: 1675525
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Trial Errors Viewed For Their Cumulative Impact

Text: The Court has an established tradition in capital cases of considering trial errors for their cumulative effect. In setting aside a guilty verdict and sentence of death in a murder case, Russell v. State, 185 Miss. 464, 189 So. 90 (1939), holds: It is true that not one of the errors, when considered separately and apart from the others, is sufficient to justify a reversal of the case, but when they are considered as a whole it is our view that they resulted in the appellant being denied a fair trial... . 185 Miss. at 469, 189 So. at 91. Indeed, this Court has recently sanctioned the practice of cumulating errors in a non-capital case. Collins v. State, 408 So.2d 1376, 1380 (Miss. 1982).