Opinion ID: 1881936
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: whether the court erred in giving sentencing instruction s-2.

Text: ¶ 11. Goodin argues that the trial judge committed reversible error by giving sentencing instruction S-2 regarding aggravating and mitigating circumstances. In determining whether error lies in the granting or refusal of various instructions, the instructions actually given must be read as a whole. When so read, if the instructions fairly announce the law of the case and create no injustice, no reversible error will be found. Coleman v. State, 697 So.2d 777, 782 (Miss.1997) (quoting Collins v. State, 691 So.2d 918 (Miss. 1997)). Sentencing instruction S-2 reads as follows: The Court instructs the Jury that it must be emphasized that the procedure that you must follow is not a mere counting process of a certain number of aggravating circumstances versus the number of mitigating circumstances. Rather, you must apply your reasoned judgment as to whether this situation calls for life imprisonment without parole, life imprisonment or whether it requires the imposition of death, in light of the totality of the circumstances present. ¶ 12. Goodin contends that this instruction violates the Eight Amendment of the U.S. Constitution by permitting the jury to substitute its own judgment in place of the statutory scheme. See, Miss.Code Ann. § 99-19-101. Goodin further argues that the instruction invites the jurors to ignore the elements of aggravation and mitigation or to set them aside in favor of their own subjective feelings about the proper sentence. ¶ 13. The State argues that this instruction does not violate either the statute or federal cases regarding the imposition of the sentence of death. To the contrary, the State submits that the instruction enhances the weighing process required by statute. ¶ 14. This Court has approved the use of nearly identical instructions in Edwards v. State, 737 So.2d 275 (Miss.1999), and Watts v. State, 733 So.2d 214 (Miss.1999). We explained that Miss.Code. Ann. § 99-19-101 clearly limited the aggravating factors which a trial jury may consider to those specifically listed in subsection five of the statute. Edwards, 737 So.2d at 314 (citing Balfour v. State, 598 So.2d 731, 747-48 (Miss.1992)). This Court held that this instruction did not instruct the jury to consider other non-statutory aggravating factors. It merely informed the jury on the manner in which they were to evaluate those aggravating circumstances which they could consider under the statute. Id. (quoting Lester v. State, 692 So.2d 755, 801 (Miss.1997)). ¶ 15. Disputes about jury instructions in the trial courts should be based on more than a quest for technical purity. The question for the trial courts should be: do the instructions fairly state the laws of Mississippi? A fair reading of our precedents and the instructions in this case dictate the obvious appropriateness of the instruction given. We find the trial court did not err in granting sentencing instruction S-2 for the jury to consider in determining the sentence to impose. ¶ 16. For the first time on appeal, Goodin also asserts that sentencing instruction S-2 read together with S-3 negated the required specificity provided for by Miss. Code Ann. § 99-19-101. Sentencing Instruction S-3 read as follows: The Court instructs the Jury that at this hearing, the State may elect to stand on the case made at the guilt hearing and you may consider the evidence presented during the guilt phase of this trial together with the evidence presented at the sentencing phase in deciding whether the Defendant shall be sentenced to death, life imprisonment without parole, or life imprisonment. Goodin contends that these instructions read together permit any matter brought up during the guilt or sentence phase to be considered by the jury in sentencing, whether or not they relate to aggravating and mitigating circumstances. ¶ 17. In regard to the presentation of evidence at the sentencing phase, this Court has held: At the sentencing hearing, the question to be decided by the jury is whether the defendant shall be sentenced to death or to life imprisonment. At this hearing, the State may elect to stand on the case made at the first hearing, if before the same jury, or may reintroduce any part of the evidence adduced at the first hearing which it considers to be relevant to the particular question of whether the defendant shall suffer death or be sentenced to life imprisonment. Jackson v. State, 337 So.2d at 1256. See also Evans v. State, 725 So.2d 613, 1997 WL 562044, ¶ 395-97 (Miss.1997); Holland v. State, 705 So.2d 307, 350 (Miss.1997); Williams v. State, 684 So.2d 1179, 1207 (Miss.1996); Davis v. State, 660 So.2d 1228, 1253-54 (Miss.1995); Mack v. State, 650 So.2d 1289, 1323-24 (Miss. 1994); Foster v. State, 639 So.2d 1263, 1301 (Miss.1994); In re Jordan, 390 So.2d 584, 585 (Miss.1980). Further, this Court has held that it is preferable for the State to move for the reintroduction of the evidence produced at the guilt phase at the beginning of the sentencing phase. Mack v. State, 650 So.2d 1289, 1323-24 (Miss.1994). Turner v. State, 732 So.2d 937, 952-53 (Miss.1999). It is clear from our precedents that any matter brought up during the guilt phase may be considered by the jury in the sentencing phase. For the above reasons, Goodin's claims are without merit.