Opinion ID: 1862954
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: where was jurisdiction?

Text: The appellant contends that the evidence showed that the death of the decedent occurred in Harrison County; that the prosecution was commenced in that county; and that the Circuit Court of Jackson County therefore had no jurisdiction. He says that, at least, the killing was not shown, beyond reasonable doubt, to have been fully consummated in Jackson County. Sec. 2429, Code of 1942, Rec., provides as follows: When an offense is committed partly in one county and partly in another, or where the acts, effects, means, or agency occur in whole or in part in different counties, the jurisdiction shall be in either county in which said offense was commenced, prosecuted, or consummated, where prosecution shall be first begun. Sec. 2430 of the Code provides in part as follows: Where the mortal stroke or other cause of death occurs or is given or administered in one county, and the death occurs in another county, the offender may be indicted and tried in either county    (Hn 4) This Court has held that, when the fatal wound is inflicted in one county, if a prosecution is commenced in that county, such county has exclusive jurisdiction over the killing; and the county, where death occurs, has no jurisdiction. Coleman v. State, 83 Miss. 290, 35 So. 937; Atkinson v. State, 132 Miss. 377, 96 So. 310. In like manner, it is clear from the statutes that, if the prosecution is first commenced in the county where death occurs, that county has exclusive jurisdiction. It is true that the county attorney, on August 3, 1961, made an affidavit in the County Court of Harrison County charging that the defendant and his co-indictees, in that county, had killed and murdered the deceased. But thereafter the officer filed a motion to dismiss the prosecution for the reason that the complete act of murder was committed in Jackson County instead of Harrison. This motion was sustained on September 25, 1961. If the death occurred in Harrison County, manifestly that county had exclusive jurisdiction even though the cause of death was given in Jackson County, because a prosecution was commenced in Harrison County. But, on the other hand, if both the cause of death was given and the death occurred in Jackson County, that county alone had jurisdiction even though a prosecution had been commenced in Harrison County. The defendant, in his confession, described the place where the strangulation occurred and the manner in which he and his confederates consummated it. Benny Jack Williams was holding the garroting material tightly around the neck of Braddock, who gasped for breath and then was still. Lowery's exclamation, as heretofore given, shows that he thought Braddock was dead. Benny Jack Williams' utterance, as heretofore stated, confirms his belief that the man was dead. Parker was of the opinion that the man was dead  he touched him with the back of his hand and said that Braddock was as cold as that desk. He also admitted that he went with the officers voluntarily and pointed out the spot where the crime was committed. He described the location and how it was reached. From that point, he conducted the officers to the place where the body was dumped in the thicket. The evidence showed that the place, so pointed out as the scene of the consummated crime, was in Jackson County, and that the place, where the body was left, was in Harrison County. The pathologist, who was of the opinion that death resulted from strangulation, said that there can be a passage of blood from the vessels into the tissues after death. While the material, which he found in the lesions on the back, suggested that the body was dragged over the ground either prior to or just after death, he said that, after a person is dead, if there is a cut or laceration in such a manner that blood can flow out, there can be bleeding from such cut or laceration. The testimony of the doctor, in showing the cause of death, does not discredit in the least the statement of the appellant as to the place where the killing was consummated. On the contrary, it showed that the lesions on the back of the deceased could have been made after his death. Consequently, such evidence is consistent with the appellant's version of the place of death. (Hn 5) The State of course had the burden of proving venue beyond a reasonable doubt before the jury could bring in a verdict of guilty. Presley v. State, 217 Miss. 112, 63 So.2d 551, and authorities there cited. Under the State's first instruction, the jury was required to find that the murder was committed in Jackson County before they could convict the appellant. The evidence was ample to warrant the jury in finding beyond a reasonable doubt that the cause of death was given and the death itself occurred in Jackson County. Consequently, the trial court did not err in overruling the motion to quash the indictment and remove the cause to Harrison County, either at the beginning, or during, the trial.