Opinion ID: 1595336
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Contradictory Character of Testimony at Trial.

Text: ¶ 130. The most striking aspects of the evidence used to convict Ross were the numerous and substantial inconsistencies among the testimonies of Jones, Hale, Sanders, and Donald Ross, Jr. Although the accounts of Jones and Sanders were substantially similar, their version of the events differed significantly from Hale's account. Of particular concern are the wide inconsistencies regarding what time Ross, Sanders, and Donald Ross, Jr. arrived at Hale's residence, in what order they arrived, and what they did with the television and VCR after Ross allegedly brought it inside. ¶ 131. Hale testified that Sanders and Donald Ross, Jr. were already home when Ross arrived between 9:00 and 10:00 p.m. with the television and VCR. He was certain it was not as late as 11:30 p.m. Jones disagreed, testifying Ross arrived at the Hale residence first, around 11:30 p.m., followed by Sanders and Donald Ross, Jr. who she says arrived just before midnight. Jones' account at trial also differs from her statement to Wells, in which she stated that Ross arrived at Hale's residence between 8:30 and 9:00 p.m. ¶ 132. Hale testified Sanders repaired the television, and then they all watched it together on Friday night. This conflicts with Sanders' testimony, in which he stated that he repaired the broken cord on the television the next morning at the request of Ross. Sanders' account also conflicts with Jones' testimony, in which she stated that she, Hale, and Sanders went into town early that morning. ¶ 133. Jones' testimony about the circumstances under which Ross showed her the gun and the wallet also conflicts with her statement to Wells and Hale's testimony at trial. At trial, Jones testified that Ross took her into a bedroom and showed her a three-fold wallet. In her statement to Wells, she stated that Ross had shown her the wallet outside the trailer. Both stories conflict with Hale's testimony, in which he said he never saw Jones and Ross go outside or into a bedroom alone. At trial, Jones testified that Ross then took some paper out of his car, placed it on a charcoal grill, laid the wallet on top of it, and used the paper to burn the wallet. In her statement to Wells, Jones said Ross took the papers out of the wallet and used them to start the fire. ¶ 134. In addition to these inconsistencies, several aspects of Jones' testimony at trial appear implausible. Jones testified that after Ross confessed to murdering Yancey, he pulled the gun out from under the seat of his car, showed it to her, and tossed it over his head backwards with a little flip. At trial she emphasized that Ross casually tossed the gun over his shoulder. However, the gun was found in a sewage ditch sixty-five feet from where she said Ross had tossed it. When confronted with this inconsistency, her only reply was that substantial time had elapsed since Ross' confession. Similarly, Jones' testimony was the only evidence supporting the State's contention that Ross had burned Yancey's wallet on a charcoal grill outside Hale's residence. Jones testified that Ross showed her Yancey's wallet, then either took paper out of his car or out of Yancey's wallet, and used the paper to set the wallet on fire. She further testified that Ross had not used any accelerant to destroy the wallet. This testimony conflicts with the opinion of Deputy Wilbanks, who collected the ashes and opined that a wallet could not have been destroyed without some sort of accelerant. At trial, Jones testified that she was not certain if the wallet was totally destroyed, which conflicted with her statement to Wells, in which she stated that the wallet had been completely reduced to ashes. ¶ 135. Considered in isolation, these inconsistencies and implausible accounts might be regarded merely as a matter of witness credibility to be determined by a jury. See, e.g., Hughes v. State, 724 So.2d 893, 896 (Miss.1998). However, the fact that Jones' testimony was often inconsistent and implausible weighs against its trustworthiness, particularly in a capital case. See Cole v. State, 217 Miss. 779, 786-87, 65 So.2d 262, 264-65 (Miss.1953) (finding, in case of reversal based on the overwhelming weight of the evidence, State's key witness was incredible since [n]ot one, but a number of aspects of [the witness's] testimony, when considered together, [made] it an exceedingly improbable and unreasonable story).