Opinion ID: 1091937
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: Petitioner's sentence of death is tainted by racial prejudice and discrimination in violation of the eighth and fourteenth amendments to the United States Constitution.

Text: Lockett claims that the jury decided to sentence him to death simply because he is black and the victim was white. In support of this claim, Lockett presents a June, 1985 unpublished statistical study entitled Factors Affecting Death Penalty Decisions in Mississippi which concludes that, in Mississippi, the perpetrator is almost five times as likely to receive death when the victim is white rather than black. Lockett connects this claim with the immediately preceding claim of Batson violation. Lockett could have raised the issue of racial prejudice and discrimination on direct appeal but did not do so. Therefore, this claim is procedurally barred by waiver unless Lockett has shown cause or actual prejudice in accordance with Miss. Code Ann. § 99-39-21(4), (5). Lockett has not alleged nor shown cause nor actual prejudice for not raising this issue on direct appeal. See Wiley v. State, 517 So.2d 1373 (Miss. 1987); Evans v. State, 485 So.2d 276 (Miss. 1986). Therefore, this claim is procedurally barred by waiver pursuant to Miss. Code Ann. § 99-39-21(1) (Supp. 1991).