Opinion ID: 1721671
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 17

Heading: is the sentence of death disproportionate in this case?

Text: Under his final assignment of error, Shell claims that, based on the facts of this case, the death penalty is an inappropriate punishment. Miss. Code Ann. § 99-19-105(3)(c) (1972), as amended, directs this Court to consider in death penalty cases, in addition to the assigned errors, the punishment imposed, as follows: (3) With regard to the sentence, the Court shall determine: (a) Whether the sentence of death was imposed under the influence of passion, prejudice or any other arbitrary factor; (b) Whether the evidence supports the jury's or judge's finding of a statutory aggravating circumstance as enumerated in Section 99-19-101; and (c) Whether the sentence of death is excessive or disproportionate to the penalty imposed in similar cases, considering both the crime and the defendant. The facts of this case clearly showed that Mrs. Audie Johnson, a sixty-eight (68) year old widow, was brutally attacked and murdered on the morning of June 8, 1986. She died from a series of blows administered by a heavy metal object, which the prosecution maintained was a tire iron. She was repeatedly forcefully struck about the head with the tire iron, shattering numerous bones, creating swelling in her brain, and hemorrhaging. Mrs. Johnson was also severely cut several times during the attack, nearly severing the top half of one of her fingers in the process. The evidence against Robert Lee Shell was very imposing. He gave a written confession to the Sheriff's office and a bloody shoe print matching the pattern of his tennis shoes was found at the scene. He also showed the Sheriff's office where he had thrown the tire iron, knife and gloves as he left the house. The only witness offered by the defense was Shell himself, and no alibi witnesses were offered. The psychiatric evaluation revealed that Shell was a twenty-one (21) year old black male of average intelligence. He understood the charges against him, was qualified to assist his attorney during the course of trial, and did not suffer from any impairment of his memory. While there was some history of alcohol and substance abuse, there was no indication of any mental disorder. Having made a thorough review of this record, this Court holds that as to the above Miss. Code Ann. § 99-19-105(3)(a), the death penalty was not the result of passion, prejudice, or any other arbitrary factor, that as to 3(b), the jury's finding of statutory aggravating circumstances is supported in the record; and that as to 3(c) the sentence of death is proportionate to the penalty imposed in similar cases, considering the defendant and the crime. (See Appendix). The Court, therefore, affirms the penalty of death. CONVICTION OF CAPITAL MURDER AND SENTENCE OF DEATH AFFIRMED. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 1990, SET AS DATE FOR EXECUTION OF SENTENCE IN THE MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW. ROY NOBLE LEE, C.J., HAWKINS and DAN M. LEE, P.JJ., and ROBERTSON, SULLIVAN, ANDERSON, PITTMAN and BLASS, JJ., concur.