Opinion ID: 1751000
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: the refusal of the trial court to grant giles an instruction embodying his theory of defense constitutes reversible error.

Text: Giles was indicted for the killing of his wife while engaged in the commission of the crime of sexual battery, thus constituting capital murder. At the close of the State's case, Giles moved for a directed verdict arguing that the defense to sexual battery found in Miss. Code Ann. § 97-3-99 (Supp. 1992) exonerated him from the crime. Although now amended, the section, at the time Giles committed the murder, read as follows: A person is not guilty of any offense under sections 97-3-95 through 97-3-103 if the alleged victim is that person's legal spouse and at the time of the alleged offense such person and the alleged victim are not separated and living apart. (Emphasis added.) The evidence that defendant Giles and his wife were married was uncontradicted. Giles relies on Davis v. State, 611 So.2d 906 (Miss. 1992), for the proposition that he is immune from prosecution for capital murder pursuant to Miss. Code Ann. § 97-3-99 (Supp. 1992). In Davis, a husband was convicted of being an accessory before the fact to rape of his wife by a man the defendant allowed into their home. This Court stated that had Davis committed the crime himself, he would have been immune from prosecution. Davis, 611 So.2d at 912. Davis, however, is not applicable in this case as there was no claim that Davis was living separate and apart from his wife. Giles argues that as he and the victim were attempting to obtain welfare from the government, they purposely did not live together. He substantiates his argument by the fact that the manager acknowledged on cross-examination the practice of women renting in their name alone in order to receive assistance. However, the apartment manager did not testify that this was the case with the Giles but only made a broad statement. Giles' only support that he was not living separate and apart is the meaning ascribed to that phrase by Black's Law Dictionary which provides: Living separate and apart. Exists where the spouses have come to a parting of the ways and have no present intention of resuming marital relations and taking up life together under the same roof, not where they are residing temporarily in different places for economic or social reasons... . Black's Law Dictionary, 843 (5th ed. 1979) (emphasis added). Giles submits that although many may not approve of their economic or social reasons for separating, i.e. welfare fraud, this Court should conclude that they were not living separate and apart and thus, cannot be found guilty of the underlying crime of sexual battery. Giles argues that the trial court erred when it refused Instruction D-8 which states: If you believe beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant William Giles, Jr., killed Donna Giles, but that the defendant William Giles, Jr. and Donna Giles were married and living together, then it is your sworn duty to find the defendant, William Giles, Jr., not guilty of the charge laid in the indictment. Giles relies on Hester v. State, 602 So.2d 869, 872-73 (Miss. 1992), which required a reversal of a capital murder conviction because the trial court's refusal to grant an instruction deprived the defendant of instructing the jury as to his theory of defense. In Hester, this Court provided: In a homicide case, as in other criminal cases, the court should instruct the jury as to theories and grounds of defense, justification, or excuse supported by the evidence, and a failure to do so is error requiring reversal of a judgment of conviction. (Citations omitted). Even though based on meager evidence and highly unlikely, a defendant is entitled to have every legal defense he asserts to be submitted as a factual issue for determination by the jury under proper instruction of the court. (Citations omitted.) Where a defendant's proffered instruction has an evidentiary basis, properly states the law, and is the only instruction presenting his theory of the case, refusal to grant it constitutes reversible error. Id. at 872 (emphasis added) (citations omitted). This holding is in accord with the longstanding precedent of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. United States v. Rubio, 834 F.2d 442, 446 (5th Cir.1987) (It has long been well established in this Circuit that it is reversible error to refuse a charge on a defense theory for which there is an evidentiary foundation and which, if believed by the jury, would be legally sufficient to render the accused innocent. (quoting United States v. Lewis, 592 F.2d 1282, 1285 (5th Cir.1979)). The State is hard pressed to make any viable argument other than the refusal was harmless error. The State argues the evidence adduced at trial overwhelmingly demonstrated that the defendant and Donna Giles were living separate and apart. However, in refusing this proposed instruction, the trial court denied the defendant the only opportunity he could have for the jury to consider his sole theory of defense. It appears that there was some confusion at the time this instruction was argued; however, this refusal was erroneous, denied the defendant a fundamentally fair trial and requires that his conviction be reversed. Based on this issue and this issue alone, we reverse and remand. Defendant argued on appeal that he was denied his right to a speedy trial secured by the Mississippi Constitution of 1890 and the United States Constitution. Had we found that Giles' right to a speedy trial had been violated, we would have been required to reverse the conviction and sentence and discharge the defendant. We, however, find this issue not to be of merit but, nonetheless, explain and illuminate our reason for the decision. A discussion regarding the defendant's right to a speedy trial as well as other issues raised on appeal that will be helpful for both the defense and the prosecution when Giles is retried for the capital murder of his wife follows.