Opinion ID: 1751529
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: whether the form of the verdict instruction failed to clearly instruct the jury on its option to return a life sentence verdict in violation of state law and the eighth and fourteenth amendments to the federal constitution?

Text: Mack contends that the jury instruction S-1-(C), as given by the trial court, was erroneous. He cites Jenkins v. State, 607 So.2d 1171 (Miss. 1992), as support for his argument. Here, as there, the instruction presented the finding for death first. The result is that the space for the foreman's signature comes before the other forms of verdict. This is so because only a death verdict has to be signed by the foreman. While we termed this instruction erroneous in Jenkins, we reversed on other grounds. Id. at 1180. Here Mack failed to object to the form of the instruction. The point is waived.