Opinion ID: 1797214
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Post-Conviction Collateral Relief

Text: Post-conviction proceedings are for the purpose of bringing to the trial court's attention facts not known at the time of judgment. Smith v. State, 477 So.2d 191 (Miss. 1985). The Post-conviction Collateral Relief Act provides a procedure limited in nature to review those matters which, in practical reality, could not or should not have been raised at trial or on direct appeal. Turner v. State, 590 So.2d 871 (Miss. 1991); Cabello v. State, 524 So.2d 313, 323 (Miss. 1988). Procedural bars of waiver, different theories, and res judicata and exception thereto as defined in post-conviction relief statute are applicable in death penalty postconviction relief application. Lockett v. State, 614 So.2d 888 (Miss. 1992), cert. denied, 510 U.S. 1040, 114 S.Ct. 681, 126 L.Ed.2d 649 (1994). We have repeatedly held that a defendant is procedurally barred by waiver from making a challenge to a capital sentencing scheme as a whole in a petition for post-conviction relief where the issue was capable of determination at trial and/or on direct appeal but was not raised, and defendant failed to show cause or actual prejudice for not raising the issue on direct appeal. Lockett v. State, 614 So.2d 898 (Miss. 1992), cert. denied, 510 U.S. 1040, 114 S.Ct. 681, 126 L.Ed.2d 649 (1994); Smith v. State, 477 So.2d 191 (Miss. 1985). Post-conviction relief is not granted upon facts and issues which could or should have been litigated at trial and on appeal. The doctrine of res judicata shall apply to all issues, both factual and legal, decided at trial and on direct appeal. Miss. Code Ann. § 99-39-21(3) (Supp. 1994). We must caution that other issues which were either presented through direct appeal or could have been presented on direct appeal or at trial are procedurally barred and cannot be relitigated under the guise of poor representation by counsel.