Opinion ID: 1830890
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Avoid Lawful Arrest Circumstance

Text: ¶ 65. Manning similarly argues that the avoid lawful arrest aggravating circumstance was completely unsupported by the evidence in this case and that the jury was not sufficiently instructed on the circumstance. The jury was not separately instructed on the aggravating circumstance that the capital offense was committed for the purpose of avoiding or preventing a lawful arrest. The aggravator was simply included on the form of the verdict instructions presented to the jury. Manning cites no authority to support his position that this aggravator should not be presented to the jury without an instruction on its narrow application. We find that the avoid lawful arrest aggravator is clear and requires no limiting instruction. ¶ 66. Manning's contention that the aggravator was improperly applied in his case is also without merit. The standard for reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence to support an avoiding lawful arrest instruction is wellsettled: [i]f there is evidence from which it may be reasonably inferred that a substantial reason for the killing was to conceal the identity of the killer or killings to cover their tracks so as to avoid apprehension and eventual arrest by authorities, then it is proper for the court to allow the jury to consider this aggravating circumstance. Under this construction the Court properly submits this aggravator to the jury if evidence existed from which the jury could reasonably infer that concealing the killer's identity, or covering the killer's tracks to avoid apprehension and arrest, was a substantial reason for the killing. Woodward v. State, 726 So.2d 524, 541, 1997 WL 776557,  (Miss.1997) ( quoting Carr, 655 So.2d at 853-54). [J]urors are entitled to make the logical connection between the injuries suffered and finding an inference that the defendant murdered his victim to avoid arrest. Holland v. State, 705 So.2d 307, 355 (Miss.1997). The defendant's efforts to avoid arrest after the murder may also be considered in connection with this aggravator. Id. at 355-56. Manning lied to police about his presence at Brooksville Gardens on the day of the murders, presumably in order to avoid arrest. There was ample evidence that Ms. Jimmerson and Ms. Jordan knew Manning, including Manning's own statement to police in which he admitted that he had known the women since he was about fourteen years old and did not know anyone who would want to hurt them. There was no need for Manning to kill the two elderly women to fulfill his purpose of robbing them after beating them unconscious. It was therefore reasonable for the jury to find that a substantial reason for slashing their throats to ensure death was to prevent them from informing police who robbed them, thereby avoiding arrest. The avoid lawful arrest aggravating circumstance was properly submitted to the jury.