Opinion ID: 1947870
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: defendant during the sentencing phase?

Text: The appellant contends that the capital murder statute (Section 99-19-101) unconstitutionally shifts the burden of proof to the defendant during the separate sentencing phase because the evidence adduced during the guilt phase of the trial proving murder during the commission of a burglary also proves an aggravating circumstance, thus requiring the defendant to come forward with proof of mitigating circumstances or automatically have the death penalty imposed. This contention is without merit because the statute does not automatically require the jury to impose death when aggravating circumstances are shown in the absence of mitigating circumstances. Subsection 5 of § 99-19-101 limits the aggravating circumstances to eight, but proof of one or more of these aggravating circumstances may still be found insufficient by the jury to require death. Throughout the trial on the sentencing phase, the state carries the burden of showing not only that aggravating circumstances exists but also that they are sufficient enough to warrant death. If the state merely proves the existence of an aggravating circumstance, the jury is free to find it insufficient to warrant death and is not required to automatically impose death. Mississippi's capital murder statute leaves the appellant the option of presenting evidence (mitigating circumstances) on why the death penalty should not be imposed, without requiring him to do so. In Jordan v. State, 365 So.2d 1198 (Miss. 1978), a similar argument was made that the burden of proof on mitigating circumstances was shifted to the defendant under the procedures outlined in Jackson v. State, 337 So.2d 1242 (Miss. 1976). This Court held that the burden of proof was on the state and Jackson required that a defendant be given an opportunity to present evidence of any and all mitigating circumstances. Although the appellant was tried under the statute here, the logic of Jordan applies equally well considering the statutory requirement of sufficient aggravating circumstances.