Opinion ID: 1688754
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 25

Heading: the lower court erred in denying appellant's motion for mistrial during the sentencing phase when the state questioned a defense witness concerning a prior conviction of the appellant which highly prejudiced the jury against the appellant.

Text: The appellant did not testify in the trial below. He contends that the lower court committed error in admitting into evidence at the sentencing phase the fact that he had a prior conviction for rape, a crime of violence to the person. Mississippi Code Annotated § 99-19-101 (Supp. 1984), provides that prior convictions of violent crimes constitutes an aggravating circumstance. See also Coleman v. State, 378 So.2d 640 (Miss. 1979); Jackson v. State, 337 So.2d 1242 (Miss. 1976). The jury verdict unanimously found three aggravating circumstances, one of which was that (3) the defendant was previously convicted of a felony involving the use or threat of violence to the person. This assignment of error is without merit.