Opinion ID: 1768435
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Whether Petitioner's constitutional rights under the Sixth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution and Article Three, Sections 24, 26, 28 and 29, of the Mississippi Constitution were violated by numerous instances of prosecutorial misconduct.

Text: ¶ 6. On direct appeal Goodin alleged that the trial court erred in allowing the State to argue, in closing argument in the sentencing phase, that Willis Rigdon did not have the protection of the law, the jury system and the Constitution the night of his murder as did Goodin during his trial. This Court found no reversible error, stating: We have previously found similar arguments to be error, though not reversible since the statements were made in isolation. See Wells v. State, 698 So.2d 497 (Miss.1997); Davis v. State, 684 So.2d 643, 654 (Miss.1996); Shell v. State, 554 So.2d 887, 900 (Miss.1989). The facts in this case overwhelmingly indicate the defendant's callous indifference to human life. The statutory elements supporting the penalty of death should have been easily met. In such a case, we find it troubling that the prosecutor would exhibit such blatant contempt of the law in order to obtain a death sentence. We have previously cautioned prosecutors against using such statements in closing arguments. We must conclude that the district attorney and his assistants in this case have either not comprehended the law or have simply ignored our prior admonishments. When they took their oaths to become attorneys in this state, they swore to support the Constitution of the State of Mississippi.... Miss.Code Ann. § 73-3-35 (2000). Those who take the oath to become a district attorney, swear to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the Mississippi Constitution. Miss. Const. art. 14, § 268. These oaths are violated when jurors are instructed to ignore constitutional rights. Such blatant disrespect of the prior rulings of this Court, and more importantly, the constitutional rights of the accused will not be tolerated. Jury decisions should be based on the rational weighing of facts and law. Unnecessary appeals to passion, bias, and prejudice must be avoided. Challenges to a jury to ignore constitutional rights and rules of law are reprehensible and will no longer be overlooked. We have repeatedly criticized this line of argument and have given fair warning to the bar that such statements are in error. We once more must condemn as strongly as possible arguments evidencing disrespect for the rule of law and the constitutional rights of defendants. However, our review of this case indicates that the prosecutors' crude appeals likely did not influence the jury one way or the other. Evidence of the defendant's callous indifference to human life in this case is overwhelming. The jury's sentence in this case was well-supported by the record. Our respect for the rule of law and the findings of juries constrains us to find no reversible error on this issue. In a closer case, such statements might affect the jury's verdict and warrant reversal, but such is not the case here. Goodin, 787 So.2d at 653-54.
¶ 7. During closing argument in the guilt phase of the trial, the district attorney argued that Goodin was a liar and that the jury should punish him for that. No objection was made at trial, and the issue was not raised on direct appeal. Goodin now argues that the district attorney violated his right to a fair trial with this argument. The State answers first that Goodin is procedurally barred from raising an issue that could have been raised on direct appeal but was not. See Miss.Code Ann. § 99-39-21(1). The State also argues that the district attorney was merely arguing the facts, answering Goodin's defense that the State's witnesses were lying. The State cites Hull v. State, 687 So.2d 708, 721 (Miss.1996), where we stated, It is not improper for a prosecutor to comment that the defendant was lying when the contention is supported in the record. We agree that this issue is both procedurally barred and without merit.
¶ 8. Goodin argues that it was error to allow the district attorney to make the closing argument that Willis Rigdon did not enjoy the same rights the night of his murder as Howard Goodin was enjoying during his trial. As mentioned above, this argument was raised on direct appeal and rejected by this Court. As such, the State's argument that it is barred by res judicata is correct. See Miss.Code Ann. § 99-39-21(3).