Opinion ID: 1778765
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The kidnapping aggravating circumstance as to both counts.

Text: ś 185. The kidnapping aggravating circumstance was defined in jury instruction SSP-7. The Court instructs the Jury that the term Kidnapping as used in these sentencing phase instructions, means the unlawful inveigling and kidnapping of another person, with the intent to unlawfully, willfully, and feloniously cause that person to be secretly confined or imprisoned against his or her will. ś 186. Manning argues that this instruction was inadequate because it failed to include the critical element of asportation. ś 187. There is no requirement that asportation be included in the definition of kidnapping. This Court said, in Carr v. State, 655 So.2d 824, 849 (Miss.1995), that Miss.Code Ann. § 97-3-53 (1994) does not require any allegation of transportation of the victim in the indictment. In fact, this Court plainly stated that asportation was not a necessary ingredient of the indictment, so long as the indictment charges the victim was imprisoned against his will. Brewer v. State, 459 So.2d 293, 296 (Miss.1984)(citing Cuevas v. State, 338 So.2d 1236 (Miss.1976)). ś 188. The instruction given in this case was clearly sufficient and there is no merit to this assignment of error.