Opinion ID: 1711589
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: whether the circuit court erred in excluding a theory of defense with evidence of a wrongful death civil suit resulting from the accident.

Text: ¶ 19. Alexander argues that the conviction should be reversed because his theory of the criminal case, that someone planted the contraband to bolster the wrongful death suit, was never presented to the jury. We have held that: Defendants are entitled to have instructions on their theory of the case presented to the jury for which there is a foundation in evidence, even though the evidence might be weak, insufficient, inconsistent or of doubtful credibility, and even though the sole testimony in support of the defense is the defendant's own testimony. Welch v. State, 566 So.2d 680, 684 (Miss. 1990). ¶ 20. After considering Alexander's theory of defense and the accompanying plea to let the jury decide the credibility of the evidence, the circuit court said: Yes. Well, I totally, one-hundred percent disagree with your theory, and I thinks it's totally inappropriate. It's not material, and it's not relevant. But your record is made ... ¶ 21. Alexander promptly moved for a mistrial, alleging that based on the ruling, there was no way to provide for an adequate defense consistent with his theory. The motion for mistrial was denied. A theory of defense alleging that other persons may have had a motive to frame Alexander was relevant. Relevant Evidence means evidence having any tendency to make the existence of any fact that is of consequence to the determination of the action more probable or less probable than it would be without the evidence. M.R.E. 401. The evidence of a civil action, while admittedly weak and possibly farfetched, was the only evidence supporting Alexander's theory of defense. Welch mandates the conclusion that Alexander should have been allowed to present the jury with his theory. ¶ 22. We must now consider whether the lower court's failure to give the theory of defense instruction was harmless error. In Giles v. State, 650 So.2d 846 (Miss.1995), we considered the great importance of granting a theory of defense to an accused, holding that: In a homicide case, as in other criminal cases, the court should instruct the jury as to theories and grounds of defense, justification, or excuse supported by the evidence, and a failure to do so is error requiring reversal of a judgment of conviction. (Citations omitted). Even though based on meager evidence and highly unlikely, a defendant is entitled to have every legal defense he asserts to be submitted as a factual issue for determination by the jury under proper instruction of the court. (Citations omitted). Where a defendant's proffered instruction has an evidentiary basis, properly states the law, and is the only instruction presenting his theory of the case, refusal to grant it constitutes reversible error. Id. at 849 (quoting Hester v. State, 602 So.2d 869, 872 (Miss.1992)). ¶ 23. This holding is consistent with precedent of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. United States v. Rubio, 834 F.2d 442, 446 (5th Cir.1987) (It has long been well established in this Circuit that it is reversible error to refuse a charge on a defense theory for which there is an evidentiary foundation and which, if believed by the jury, would be legally sufficient to render the accused innocent.) (quoting United States v. Lewis, 592 F.2d 1282, 1285 (5th Cir.1979)). ¶ 24. In Hoover v. State, 552 So.2d 834, 841 (Miss.1989), this Court found that unless the substantial right of a party to a fair trial is affected by an exclusion of evidence, an exclusion will be deemed harmless error. When dealing with Constitutional issues such as the right to a fair trial involved here, reversal is not required if on the whole record, the error was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. Id. at 841 (citing United States v. Hasting, 461 U.S. 499, 509, 103 S.Ct. 1974, 1980, 76 L.Ed.2d 96 (1983); Chapman v. California, 386 U.S. 18, 23-24, 87 S.Ct. 824, 827-28, 17 L.Ed.2d 705 (1967)). See also, Arizona v. Fulminante, 499 U.S. 279, 111 S.Ct. 1246, 113 L.Ed.2d 302 (1991). Our then existing rules required a judgment to be affirmed unless the exclusion affected a substantial right of the party offering the evidence. Darby v. State, 538 So.2d 1168, 1173-74 (Miss.1989). ¶ 25. Examination of the record as a whole reveals that Alexander was unable to even draw an inference that Wilson's survivors may have had a motive for framing Alexander with a wrongful death suit. Application of Hoover with the record shows the circuit court's denial of the theory of defense instruction did affect a substantial right in Alexander's quest for a fair trial. During this period of time there was a possibility, however remote, that someone could have planted the flannel shirt containing drugs for use in bolstering civil liability against Alexander. He was entitled to present this defense to the jury. Therefore, the lower Court committed reversible error in failing to grant Alexander's theory of defense.