Opinion ID: 1687603
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: whether the trial court erred in refusing to sever?

Text: ¶ 28. Cavett also argues that his trial should have been severed from the trials of the codefendants Stevens and Strahan. However, prior to trial, Cavett withdrew his motion to sever, and has, therefore, waived this argument. The record reflects the following: THE COURT: Now we have the motions to sever on Patrick Cavett, Calvin Shelton, Glynn Stevens, and Robert Strahan. [CAVETT'S ATTORNEY]: I withdraw my motion for severance on Patrick Cavett. THE COURT: You're withdrawing that motion? [CAVETT'S ATTORNEY]: Yes, sir, and I'm objecting to the severance of the other two people. THE COURT: So now we just have the motion to sever on Glynn Stevens and Robert Strahan. ¶ 29. Furthermore, even if the merits of Cavett's argument were considered, it would fail. The trial judge has the discretion to grant a severance if it is necessary to promote a fair determination of the defendant's guilt or innocence. In Duckworth v. State, 477 So.2d 935, 937 (Miss.1985), this Court stated that there are a number of criteria to be used to determine if the denial of a motion for severance is proper. These criteria are whether or not the testimony of one co-defendant tends to exculpate that defendant at the expense of the other defendant and whether the balance of the evidence introduced at trial tends to go more to the guilt of one defendant rather than the other. Absent a showing of prejudice, there are no grounds to hold that the trial court abused its discretion. Id. at 937. Hawkins v. State, 538 So.2d 1204, 1207 (Miss. 1989); See Gossett v. State, 660 So.2d 1285, 1289 (Miss.1995); Tillman v. State, 606 So.2d 1103, 1106 (Miss.1992) (the trial court has the discretion to grant a severance if it is necessary to promote a fair determination of the defendant's guilt or innocence); Johnson v. State, 512 So.2d 1246, 1254 (Miss. 1987); Price v. State, 336 So.2d 1311, 1312 (Miss.1976); URCCC 9.03; Miss.Code Ann. § 99-15-47 (1994). ¶ 30. It is noteworthy that the United States Supreme Court has recognized the importance of joint trials in the criminal justice system. Richardson v. Marsh, 481 U.S. 200, 209-10, 107 S.Ct. 1702, 95 L.Ed.2d 176 (1987) (Joint trials generally serve the interests of justice by avoiding inconsistent verdicts and enabling more accurate assessment of relative culpability  advantages which sometimes operate to the defendant's benefit.). ¶ 31. Basically, Cavett contends that he was prejudiced by the admission of co-defendant Stevens' statement to the police. The statement was partially redacted to delete all references to Cavett. Clearly, Cavett's confrontation rights were not violated when the trial court conducted a joint trial and admitted the co-defendant's redacted statement. Richardson, 481 U.S. at 209-10, 107 S.Ct. 1702; Walker v. State, 430 So.2d 418, 421 (Miss.1983). ¶ 32. Moreover, a similar guilt by association claim was raised in Gossett v. State, 660 So.2d 1285 (Miss.1995). In that case, this Court found that the balance of the evidence demonstrated that [the co-defendants] separately shot [the victim] implicating them equally in the murder. Accordingly, the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying either of the co[-]defendants' requests for a severance. Id. at 1290. See also Rigby v. State, 485 So.2d 1060, 1061 (Miss.1986) (quoting Blanks v. State, 451 So.2d 775 (Miss. 1984) (we found no error in a circuit judge's refusal to grant a severance `where all the evidence at the trial went to the guilt of both appellants and not to one more than the other.')). ¶ 33. Cavett withdrew his motion for severance and objected to the severance of the other co-defendants' trials. In addition, Cavett has not demonstrated that any of the evidence exculpated his co-defendants at his expense. He has not demonstrated that the balance of the evidence was tilted. He has not demonstrated any prejudice by the joint trial. The evidence in this case tended to indicate that all three co-defendants fired guns that night. Although the statement of Cavett's co-defendant was admitted, all references to Cavett were carefully deleted therefrom. Therefore, Cavett's argument on this point was previously waived and is also without merit.