Opinion ID: 1091937
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 15

Heading: The stacking of aggravating circumstances deprived petitioner of his rights under the eighth and fourteenth amendments.

Text: This claim concerns the submission of the aggravating circumstance of pecuniary gain. Lockett contended on appeal, as he does again here, that the aggravating circumstance of pecuniary gain constitutes stacking. Lockett readily admits that this claim was raised on direct and decided adversely to him; he simply asks the Court to reconsider its position. This claim was raised on direct appeal as assignment 9, addressed by this Court on direct appeal and decided adversely to Lockett. Lockett v. State, 517 So.2d 1317, 1337-38 (Miss. 1987). Lockett has not demonstrated a novel claim nor a sudden reversal of law relative to this point which would exempt this claim from the procedural bar. Therefore, this issue is procedurally barred by the doctrine of res judicata pursuant to Miss. Code Ann. § 99-39-21(3) (Supp. 1991). See also Rideout v. State, 496 So.2d 667 (Miss. 1986); Mann v. State, 490 So.2d 910 (Miss. 1986).