Opinion ID: 1107688
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: the doctrine of res judicata as a procedural bar to general post-conviction claims

Text: ¶ 12. Branch contends that the claims raised in his petition for post-conviction relief are so meritorious and of such a nature that the procedural bar known as the doctrine of res judicata should not apply in this case. Miss.Code Ann. § 99-39-21(3) (Supp.2006) states: The doctrine of res judicata shall apply to all issues, both factual and legal, decided at trial and on direct appeal. Branch argues that drastic changes in the capital case law landscape have placed a significantly increased burden on the appellate courts in cases where a life is at stake. ¶ 13. In Lockett v. State, 614 So.2d 888 (Miss.1992), this Court considered the post-conviction application of Carl Daniel Lockett, who like Branch, was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death. Also like Branch, Lockett readily admitted that some of the issues raised in his post-conviction application were raised on direct appeal and decided adversely to him. Id. at 893. Lockett urged this Court to reconsider precedent governing those issues and address the claims raised because each claim concerns issues still debated in this country's death penalty jurisprudence. Id. This Court stated: The procedural bars of waiver, different theories, and res judicata and the exception thereto as defined in Miss.Code Ann. § 99-39-21(1-5) are applicable in death penalty PCR Applications. Irving v. State, 498 So.2d 305 (Miss.1986); Evans v. State, 485 So.2d 276 (Miss.1986). Rephrasing direct appeal issues for post-conviction purposes will not defeat the procedural bar of res judicata. Irving v. State, 498 So.2d 305 (Miss.1986); Rideout v. State, 496 So.2d 667 (Miss. 1986); Gilliard v. State, 446 So.2d 590 (Miss.1984). The Petitioner carries the burden of demonstrating that his claim is not procedurally barred. Miss.Code Ann. § 99-39-21(6) (Supp.1991); Cabello v. State, 524 So.2d 313, 320 (Miss.1988). However, an alleged error should be reviewed, in spite of any procedural bar, only where the claim is so novel that it has not previously been litigated, or, perhaps, where an appellate court has suddenly reversed itself on an issue previously thought settled. Irving v. State, 498 So.2d 305, 311 (Miss.1986). 614 So.2d at 893 (footnote omitted). ¶ 14. In today's case, the State contends that every single assignment of error set forth in Branch's Petition for Post Conviction Relief is barred under the doctrine of res judicata. In our analysis, each of the issues raised by Branch in his PCR and his amended PCR will be reviewed to see if he has demonstrated a novel claim or a sudden reversal of law relative to his claim that would excuse him from the procedural bar. If Branch has not made such a showing, the procedural bar of res judicata applies.