Opinion ID: 1640733
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: whether rice has recanted his testimony.

Text: ¶ 32. In June of 2005, the investigator for Howell's post-conviction counsel procured an affidavit from Rice in which Rice recanted his trial testimony and stated that I have a very real and substantial reasonable doubt as to whether or not Marlon Howell is the man I saw that morning.... Thereafter, Rice reaffirmed his trial testimony by a new affidavit executed in October of 2007. Rice's 2007 affidavit states in pertinent part: At [Marlon Howell's] trial I positively identified Marlon Howell as the person who shot and killed Mr. David Pernell. I hereby reaffirm that testimony and declare it to be true. I have previously given a statement to an investigator acting on the behalf of Marlon Howell wherein I called into question the accuracy of my identification of Marlon Howell as the person who shot David Pernell. I was being married in the week that I signed that statement and I signed the statement as a result of continuous pressure that was applied to me by the investigator and other persons acting on behalf of Marlon Howell. I was not aware of the legal significance of the statement that I gave them wherein I called into question the accuracy of my identification of Marlon Howell, and this statement was given in an attempt to make the persons acting on the behalf of Marlon Howell to leave me and my wife alone during the time of our marriage. After signing the above mentioned statement I met with the attorney for Marlon Howell, an investigator for Marlon Howell, Tim Kent, who was formerly a New Albany police officer and Ben Creekmore who is the District Attorney for Union County, at the New Albany City Hall and stated to both [sic] of them that my identification of Marlon Howell at the trial was correct and that I was standing by that testimony, and that I had given that statement in an attempt to make the persons acting on the behalf of Marlon Howell leave me alone. I am today reaffirming my identification of Marlon Howell as the shooter of David Pernell. The State also includes an affidavit from Ben Creekmore, the present district attorney, who states that he attended a meeting with Rice and defense counsel in which Rice reaffirmed his trial testimony. On the other hand, Howell maintains that Rice's recanted testimony entitles him to post-conviction relief and a new trial. ¶ 33. As a general rule, recanted testimony is exceedingly unreliable, and is regarded with suspicion; and it is the right and duty of the court to deny a new trial where it is not satisfied that such testimony is true. Bradley v. State, 214 So.2d 815, 817 (Miss.1968). Further, [e]xperience teaches all courts a healthy skepticism toward recanted testimony.... Yarborough v. State, 514 So.2d 1215, 1220 (Miss.1987). The fact that a witness changes his testimony after the trial does not necessarily entitle the petitioner to a new trial. Russell v. State, 849 So.2d 95, 107 (Miss.2003) (citing Peeples v. State, 218 So.2d 436, 438 (Miss.1969); Williams v. State, 669 So.2d 44, 53 (Miss.1996)). ¶ 34. In the direct appeal of Howell's capital-murder conviction and death sentence, we held that Rice's identification of Howell was reliable and that the jury was entitled to weigh the credibility of the evidence. Howell, 860 So.2d at 731. Unquestionably, Rice's testimony was crucial to the State's case. The State admitted as much in closing argument when the prosecutor stated that the State could have rested after Rice testified. After reviewing Rice's trial testimony, the 2005 affidavit in which he partially recanted his identification of Howell, and the 2007 affidavit in which he reaffirmed his trial testimony, we find that Howell has shown that he is entitled to a post-conviction hearing on this issue. This issue can be resolved by the trial judge, who will have an opportunity not only to hear Rice's testimony, but also to observe Rice's demeanor as Rice is subjected to both direct examination and cross-examination. This also is certainly true of other witnesses who might testify on this issue.