Opinion ID: 1595336
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Proposed sentencing instruction Number 13 weighing of aggravating and mitigating circumstances.

Text: ¶ 113. Finally, Ross argues that the trial court erred in denying his thirteenth instruction, which would have allowed jurors to rely on a sense of mercy to sentence Ross to life imprisonment, despite the fact that aggravators existed and were not balanced by any mitigating factors. Such an instruction is both a mercy instruction and an instruction that jurors are not bound to weigh aggravating and mitigating circumstances contemplated in the State's first sentencing instruction. This Court does not recognize a right to a mercy instruction. Howell, 860 So.2d at 759. Similarly, this Court has repeatedly refused to accept instructions that would nullify the balancing of aggravating and mitigating factors, since such instructions might induce verdicts based on whim and caprice. Manning v. State, 726 So.2d 1152, 1197 (Miss.1998). The trial court did not err in refusing Ross' proposed instruction. ¶ 114. Because Ross has shown no error by the trial court in its rulings on jury instructions, this assignment of error is without merit.