Opinion ID: 1589788
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Whether the Indictment Charged a Death-Penalty Eligible Offense.

Text: ¶ 172. Count I of the indictment, which charges Goff with capital murder pursuant to Mississippi Code Section 97-3-19(2)(e), that Goff: In George County, Mississippi, on or about August 27, 2004, did then and there willfully, unlawfully, and feloniously, and with or without any design to effect the death, kill and murder Brandy S. Yates, a human being, while in the commission of the crime and felony of Robbery, as defined by Section 97-3-73, Miss.Code of 1972, as amended. ¶ 173. Goff argues that his death sentence must be vacated because the indictment failed to include a statutory aggravating factor or the mens rea standard required for capital murder. In support of this argument, Goff cites Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 120 S.Ct. 2348, 147 L.Ed.2d 435 (2000), and Ring v. Arizona, 536 U.S. 584, 122 S.Ct. 2428, 153 L.Ed.2d 556 (2002). ¶ 174. This Court repeatedly has rejected this type of argument. See, e.g., Spicer, 921 So.2d at 319; Brown v. State, 890 So.2d 901, 918 (Miss.2004); Stevens v. State, 867 So.2d 219, 225-27 (Miss.2003). We have held that Apprendi and Ring address issues wholly distinct from the present one, and in fact do not address indictments at all. Spicer, 921 So.2d at 319 (citing Brown, 890 So.2d at 918). ¶ 175. The purpose of an indictment is to furnish the defendant with notice and a reasonable description of the charges against him so that he may prepare his defense. Spicer, 921 So.2d at 319 (citing Williams v. State, 445 So.2d 798, 804 (Miss.1984)). An indictment is required only to have a clear and concise statement of the elements of the crime with which the defendant is charged. Id. ¶ 176. Under Mississippi law, the underlying felony that elevates the crime to capital murder must be identified in the indictment along with the section and subsection of the statute under which the defendant is being charged. Bennett v. State, 933 So.2d 930, 952 (Miss.2006) (citing Miss.Code Ann. § 99-17-20)). In addition, [o]ur death penalty statute clearly states the only aggravating circumstances which may be relied upon by the prosecution in seeking the ultimate punishment. Spicer, 921 So.2d at 319 (quoting Brown, 890 So.2d at 918). ¶ 177. When Goff was charged with capital murder, he was put on notice that the death penalty might result, what aggravating factors might be used, and the mens rea standard that was required. See Stevens, 867 So.2d at 227. This assertion of error is without merit.