Opinion ID: 1700069
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: The constitutionality of our death penalty statute.

Text: We have considered all assigned errors, and conclude that the sentence phase must be reversed and remanded for a new trial. Our discussion here will be limited to those assigned errors necessary to reach this conclusion, and our decision is based upon Mississippi jurisprudence. Also, the constitutionality of our death penalty statute has been addressed in our prior cases. Bullock v. State, 391 So.2d 601 (Miss. 1981). See also, Gray v. Lucas, 677 F.2d 1086, (5th Cir.1982). As we move to a consideration of the sentencing phase, three premises need to be made clear. First, the sentencing phase is a separate trial. Even though the proceedings at the guilt phase be error free, we start anew at the sentencing phase. If we find error there, we reverse on that phase only. Cf. Gardner v. Florida, 430 U.S. 349, 358, 97 S.Ct. 1197, 1204, 51 L.Ed.2d 393, 402 (1977) Presnell v. Georgia, 439 U.S. 14, 16, 99 S.Ct. 235, 236, 58 L.Ed.2d 207, 211 (1978); Voyles v. Watkins, 489 F. Supp. 901, 912 (N.D.Miss. 1980); and Jones v. Thigpen, 555 F. Supp. 870, 878-879 (S.D.Miss. 1983). Second, this Court has an established practice in capital cases of considering trial errors for their cumulative impact. 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 no one of these 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]. This practice of considering errors for their aggregate effect on the fairness of the proceedings below has recently been followed by the Court in a non-capital case. Collins v. State, 408 So.2d 1376, 1380 (Miss. 1982). Third, we have in death penalty cases the prerogative of relaxing our contemporaneous objection and plain error rules when the interests of justice so require. Culberson v. State, 379 So.2d 499, 506 (Miss. 1980) (Rule 42 waived with reluctance and only because this is a capital case.); Bell v. State, 360 So.2d 1206, 1215, 1217-1218 (Miss. 1978). All three of these premises are ultimately rooted in our awareness of the uniqueness and finality of the death penalty. Because the penalty is different in quality and severity, so is the nature of our review responsibility. We stated in Irving v. State, 361 So.2d 1360, 1363 (Miss. 1978): We recognize that thoroughness and intensity of review are heightened in cases where the death penalty has been imposed. (Citation omitted) What may be harmless error in a case with less at stake becomes reversible error when the penalty is death. .. . See also, Laney v. State, 421 So.2d 1216, 1217 (Miss. 1982) Gipson v. State, 203 Miss. 434, 437, 35 So.2d 327, 328 (1948).