Opinion ID: 1585194
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: does the imposition of the death sentence upon a person too young to sit on a mississippi jury violate the eighth amendment proscription against cruel and unusual punishment?

Text: This is a two-pronged argument concerning the exclusion from jury service of those under 21 years of age and the constitutionality of a death sentence imposed on one who was 18 years of age at the time of the crime. It has never been raised before in this case and is barred. Moreover, had the points been timely raised, they would remain unpersuasive on the merits, as both have been summarily denied in prior cases. Leatherwood v. State, 435 So.2d 645, 653 (Miss. 1983) cert. denied, Leatherwood v. Mississippi, 465 U.S. 1084, 104 S.Ct. 1455, 79 L.Ed.2d 772 (1984); Mhoon v. State, 464 So.2d 77, 83 (Miss. 1985) (reversed on other grounds); Cannaday v. State, 455 So.2d 713, 725 (Miss. 1984) (reversed on other grounds), cert. denied, Cannaday v. Mississippi, 495 U.S. 1221, 105 S.Ct. 1209, 84 L.Ed.2d 351 (1985). Having considered and denied the points raised in Johnson's motions for stay of execution and post-conviction relief, we find no merit in them, and, therefore, find no grounds for the granting of a stay of the execution date set by this Court. PETITIONER'S MOTION FOR POST-CONVICTION RELIEF AND STAY OF EXECUTION DENIED. WALKER, C.J., ROY NOBLE LEE and HAWKINS, P.JJ., and SULLIVAN, ANDERSON and GRIFFIN, JJ., concur. PRATHER, J., dissents. ROBERTSON, J., not participating.