Opinion ID: 1678113
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: On July 21, 1982, Hogan was indicted by the grand jury of Lamar County for murder. His case was set for trial on October 14, 1982, and on that day he entered a plea of guilty to the reduced charge of manslaughter. The record shows that under oath Hogan was questioned extensively by the court, and stated that he understood the consequences of his plea, and that he entered it freely and voluntarily. The court then sentenced him to fifteen years in prison. Thereafter, on February 27, 1984, Hogan filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus under oath in the Lamar County circuit court, stating that the guilty plea he had made was not freely and voluntarily made, and was given without any intelligent and knowing understanding of his plea. On June 25, 1984, the grand jury of Lamar County indicted Hogan for perjury. The indictment, as most perjury indictments under our practice and procedure, is lengthy. It alleges the two different statements made under oath by Hogan. The final paragraph of the indictment reads: Whereas, the State of Mississippi would show that both claims by the defendant were made under oath and that both claims by the defendant directly contradict each other and that the said defendant well knew of this complete untruth of one of these statements under oath either the statement entered on October 14, 1982 or the sworn petition filed on Feb. 27, 1984 and the Grand Jurors aforesaid, do say and present that the said Otha D. Hogan on one of the two aforementioned dates, either October 14, 1982 or February 27, 1984 did falsely, maliciously, wickedly, knowingly, corruptly and feloniously in the manner and form as aforesaid did commit willful and corrupt perjury in violation of Section 97-9-59 of Mississippi Code of 1972 as amended. On December 7, 1984, Hogan moved to quash the indictment for failure to allege every essential element of the crime, as well as what the truth is in relation to the matter of which perjury is assigned. While proof was adduced at trial indicating Hogan was well advised of his rights in his plea of guilty, the prosecution never designated which of Hogan's statements was considered false. Over Hogan's objection the State was granted instruction S-3: INSTRUCTION THE COURT INSTRUCTS THE JURY THAT THE DEFENDANT, OTHA D. HOGAN, IS CHARGED WITH THE CRIME OF PERJURY, AND IF YOU BELIEVE FROM THE EVIDENCE IN THIS CASE BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT THAT: 1. THE DEFENDANT WAS PLACED UNDER OATH ON THE 14th DAY OF OCTOBER 1982, BY WAYNE PARKER, CIRCUIT CLERK OF LAMAR COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI, AND UNDER OATH STATED THAT HE WANTED TO ENTER A PLEA OF GUILTY TO MANSLAUGHTER AND THAT SAID PLEA WAS ENTERED FREELY AND VOLUNTARILY AND THAT HE UNDERSTOOD THE CONSEQUENCES OF HIS PLEA AND THE RECOMMENDED SENTENCE AND THAT HE WAS FULLY AND COMPLETELY SATISFIED WITH EVERY ASPECT OF THE PLEA BARGAIN AGREEMENT AND DID THEN AND THERE PLEAD GUILTY TO MANSLAUGHTER AND DID NOT WITHDRAW HIS PLEA, STATING UNDER OATH THAT HE UNDERSTOOD ALL THE TERMS OF HIS PLEA, THE QUESTIONS PROPOUNDED BY THE COURT AND ALL EXPLANATIONS MADE IN THIS CASE, AND IF YOU BELIEVE BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT FROM THE EVIDENCE THAT 2. ON THE 27th DAY OF FEBRUARY, 1984, THE DEFENDANT, OTHA D. HOGAN, FILED WITH THE CIRCUIT COURT A PETITION FOR WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS, SWORN UNDER OATH STATING THAT THE PLEA HE ENTERED ON OCTOBER 14, 1982 IN LAMAR COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT AFORESAID, WAS MADE INVOLUNTARILY AND WITHOUT INTELLIGENT AND KNOWING UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONSEQUENCES THAT WOULD RESULT OF THE PLEA, AND 3. FURTHER IF YOU BELIEVE FROM THE EVIDENCE IN THIS CASE BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT THAT BOTH STATEMENTS BY THE DEFENDANT WERE MADE UNDER OATH AND THAT BOTH CLAIMS DIRECTLY CONTRADICT EACH OTHER TO THE EXTENT THAT EITHER ONE OF THE TWO STATEMENTS MADE UNDER OATH, THE DEFENDANT WELL KNEW OF THE COMPLETE UNTRUTH OF ONE OF THESE STATEMENTS, EITHER THE PLEA ENTERED ON OCTOBER 14, 1982, OR THE SUBSEQUENT PETITION FILED UNDER OATH ON FEBRUARY 27, 1984, AND THAT AS A RESULT THEREOF DID FALSELY MALICIOUSLY, WICKEDLY, KNOWINGLY, WILFULLY, CORRUPTLY, AND FELONIOUSLY COMMIT WILFUL AND CORRUPT PERJURY IN THAT ONE OF THE STATEMENTS WAS A COMPLETE FALSEHOOD AND A LIE UNDER OATH, THEN YOU SHALL FIND THE DEFENDANT, OTHA D. HOGAN, GUILTY AS CHARGED. The jury found Hogan guilty of perjury, and he has appealed.