Opinion ID: 1699444
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: the judgment of the lower court was against the overwhelming weight of the evidence.

Text: Although not married, appellant and Sherry Slaughter lived together as husband and wife in Louisville, Mississippi. Sherry's cousin, Vidalia, lived in the house with them. On October 25, 1983, about midday, Sherry and Vidalia were cleaning the house when appellant, using profanity, asked what they were cleaning up for. He had a baseball bat in his hand, walked into the livingroom, and smashed the television with the bat. Sherry Slaughter told appellant, You know that wasn't none of my television. It belonged to your sister. Shortly thereafter, appellant asked Vidalia as to the whereabouts of his bat. About the same time, appellant's two brothers came into the house and sat down. Appellant found the bat, approached Sherry, who was ironing clothes, walked up behind her and struck her in the back with the bat. According to Vidalia, appellant then stated, I know I going to kill that bitch. I know I going to kill her. Appellant swung the bat a second time, hitting the wall. Sherry had fallen to the floor and appellant then hit her in the back of the head with the bat and again in the face, the blows being with such force that the bat broke into two pieces. One of appellant's brothers struggled with him and took the handle of the bat from appellant's hands. Appellant ran out of the house, Sherry was taken to the Winston County Hospital Emergency Room, and was later transferred to University Hospital in Jackson, where she died on November 5, 1983, as a result of the injuries. Under this assignment of error, appellant contends two issues, viz, insanity and lack of intent, should reduce the conviction of murder to manslaughter. Four (4) expert witnesses were called, two (2) for the State and two (2) for the defense. Those for the defense were an expert in psychology and counseling and an expert in the field of psychiatry. Those for the State were a neurologist at Mississippi State Hospital and Director of the Forensic Unit, and a clinical psychologist. Appellant's condition was diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenia. The issue to be determined from all the evidence relating to that condition is whether or not appellant knew the difference between right and wrong at the time he killed Sherry Slaughter. The appellant's expert witnesses were of the opinion that appellant did not know the difference between right and wrong. The State's expert witnesses were of the opinion that appellant did know the difference between right and wrong at the time he took the life of Sherry Slaughter, and lay witnesses corroborated those opinions. The issue of sanity at the time of the commission of an offense is for the determination of the jury. Brady v. State, 425 So.2d 1347 (Miss. 1983); Billiot v. State, 454 So.2d 445 (Miss. 1984); Frost v. State, 453 So.2d 695 (Miss. 1984); Collins v. State, 361 So.2d 333 (Miss. 1978); Cole v. State, 405 So.2d 910 (Miss. 1981). In Brady v. State, supra, at 1349, the Court said: Juries and trial judges are not bound to accept the testimony of expert witnesses, but may accept or reject parts of that testimony. Matthews v. State, 394 So.2d 304 (Miss. 1981). We are of the opinion that the verdict of the jury is supported by the evidence.