Opinion ID: 1847325
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 19

Heading: the circuit judge improperly admitted a slew of hearsay statements by various witnesses, including a crucial statement by the codefendant clyde smith, which implicated jerome in this offense and aggravated the crime.

Text: ś 135. Jerome contends that the trial court erred in admitting into evidence impermissible hearsay testimony in violation of the confrontation clause and Rules 802, 803 and 804 of the Rules of Evidence. It is elementary that unless hearsay falls under one of the exceptions found in Rule 803 and Rule 804, it is incompetent evidence. Quimby v. State, 604 So.2d 741, 746 (Miss.1992); Murphy v. State, 453 So.2d 1290, 1294 (Miss.1984). ś 136. First, Jerome takes issue with testimony of Henry Bryant and Carolyn Pearce concerning statements made by Clyde in Jerome's presence. Bryant testified that he had a conversation with Clyde, in Jerome's presence, in which Clyde stated that the way to get away with a robbery was to pick a small town with only one sheriff. Carolyn Pearce stated that on the night of the murder Clyde, in Jerome's presence, stated that they would return to buy $400 worth of crack cocaine. Jerome made no objection at trial to either of these statements. Therefore, Jerome may not raise this issue for the first time here. Jones v. State, 606 So.2d 1051, 1058 (Miss.1992) (citing Crenshaw v. State, 520 So.2d 131, 134 (Miss.1988); Howard v. State, 507 So.2d 58, 63 (Miss.1987)). See also Ballenger, 667 So.2d at 1259; Foster v. State, 639 So.2d 1263, 1270 (Miss.1994); Mitchell v. State, 609 So.2d 416, 422 (Miss.1992). ś 137. There was one objection made on the grounds of hearsay by Clyde during Bryant's testimony: A. Well, we firstâ we first came up towardsâ to you know, back to Diane Munn house went to Clara house that afternoon and Dot asked us to take them to the store, you know. And we asked, Well, where you car was? And then she told us thatâ MR. STUCKEY: Objection, Your Honor, what Dot said about the car. THE COURT: Sustained. Because the objection was sustained there can be no ground for error. Walker v. State, 671 So.2d 581, 616 (Miss.1995); Perry v. State, 637 So.2d 871, 874 (Miss.1994); Simpson v. State, 497 So.2d 424, 431 (Miss. 1986). ś 138. Jerome also contests the testimony by Jerry Carver, a Leflore County sheriff's deputy, concerning statements made by the victim's wife as to what items were missing from the liquor store. Again, Jerome made no contemporaneous objection. Jerome also mentions the testimony of Carver concerning the set of keys to the liquor store found in Smith's car. The record reveals the following: Q. Deputy Carver, I want to hand you this set of keys and ask you if you can identify them. A. I remember this particular set of keys was turned in to the sheriff from Humphreys County, was found in or near the red '75 Ford. MR. JONES: I'm going to object to hearsay until you lay a predicate. Although a ruling was never obtained on the objection, the prosecutor preceded to lay the predicate and asked Carver to identify a second set of keys given to him by the victim's wife. Thereafter, those keys were offered into evidence without objection from Jerome. After a few more questions the keys found in the Smith car were marked for identification. At this point the prosecutor asked the following question and drew an objection from Clyde's attorney: Q. Deputy Carver, as I understand it, the exhibit marked S-5 are the keys that were recoveredâ MR. MOUNGER: Objection, Your Honor, Mr. Jones already objected on the grounds of hearsay. I would raise that as an objection and also the reason that Deputy Carver, as I understand the testimony, has no personal knowledge of where these keys were found. THE COURT: Sustained. Because the objection was sustained there can be no ground for error. Walker, 671 So.2d at 616; Perry v. State, 637 So.2d 871, 874 (Miss.1994); Simpson v. State, 497 So.2d 424, 431 (Miss.1986). ś 139. All of the other statements Jerome now alleges to be inadmissible hearsay were given without objection in the trial court. Jerome is barred from presenting the issue for the first time on appeal. Jones v. State, 606 So.2d 1051, 1058 (Miss.1992) (citing Crenshaw v. State, 520 So.2d 131, 134 (Miss.1988); Howard v. State, 507 So.2d 58, 63 (Miss. 1987)). See also Ballenger, 667 So.2d at 1259; Foster v. State, 639 So.2d 1263, 1270 (Miss.1994); Mitchell v. State, 609 So.2d 416, 422 (Miss.1992).