Opinion ID: 1947870
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 23

Heading: to life imprisonment?

Text: Mississippi Code Annotated section 99-19-105 (1978 Supp.) provides: (2) The Mississippi Supreme Court shall consider the punishment as well as any errors enumerated by way of appeal. (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. (4) Both the defendant and the state shall have the right to submit briefs within the time provided by the court, and to present oral argument to the court. (5) The court shall include in its decision a reference to those similar cases which it took into consideration. In addition to its authority regarding correction of errors, the court, with regard to review of death sentences, shall be authorized to: (a) Affirm the sentence of death; or (b) Set the sentence aside and remand the case for modification of the sentence to imprisonment for life.  (Emphasis added). In accordance with the legislative mandate, we have considered these similar cases where the victim was killed during the course of a robbery and the death sentence was imposed: Irving v. State, 361 So.2d 1360 (Miss. 1978); Washington v. State, 361 So.2d 61 (Miss. 1978); Bell v. State, 360 So.2d 1206 (Miss. 1978). Having carefully compared the case at bar with these cases in which the sentence of death was imposed, we are of the opinion that the sentence of death in this case is excessive or disproportionate to the penalty imposed in similar cases, considering both the crime and the defendant. In Irving, Washington and Bell, the killings were totally senseless and committed upon hapless victims unarmed and unable to protect themselves. The circumstances in this case are strikingly different. Here, Harry Burkett, the victim, upon seeing the foot of Sims protruding from under the pickup truck, began firing his pistol. Only after being fired upon did the 16-year-old Coleman shoot. Again, Coleman had the opportunity to shoot Mrs. Burkett, who was an eyewitness, but did not. He fled the scene instead. Under the specific authorization of subsection (5)(b) of § 99-19-105, this Court affirms the conviction but reverses and sets aside the death sentence and remands this case to the trial court for modification of the sentence to imprisonment for life. AFFIRMED AS TO THE GUILT PHASE; REVERSED AND REMANDED AS TO THE SENTENCING PHASE FOR MODIFICATION OF SENTENCE TO IMPRISONMENT FOR LIFE. AS TO THE GUILT PHASE: SMITH, P.J., and SUGG, BROOM, BOWLING and COFER, JJ., concur. PATTERSON, C.J., WALKER and LEE, JJ., dissent. AS TO THE SENTENCING PHASE: PATTERSON, C.J., SMITH, P.J., SUGG and BROOM, JJ., concur. LEE, WALKER, BOWLING and COFER, JJ., dissent.