Opinion ID: 1690067
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: whether instructions d-4 and d-5 were properly refused.

Text: ¶ 21. Sharp raises these issues in a pro se brief filed one day after the State's brief. While Sharp has a constitutional right to be heard, there was no prior notice of an intent to file a pro se brief, and the filing appears to be untimely. Moreover, the argument regarding the instruction is unsupported by authority, relieving this Court of any obligation to address it. Edwards v. State, 737 So.2d 275, 295 (Miss.1999). Nevertheless, in the absence of any motion to strike, we address the new point raised out of an abundance of caution. ¶ 22. Specifically, Sharp challenges the refusal of his proposed instructions D-4 and D-5. Matters become a little confused because there are two D-5s in the record and discussed in the trial transcripts, but both were refused. D-4 was an expert witness instruction, [1] and the trial court properly refused it. The State's expert witness offered uncontradicted evidence, and the jury had already been instructed on the weight of witness testimony. Thus, D-4 was unnecessary and properly refused. The first D-5 regarded the need for certainty from the jury of the identity of the criminal. Since the jury had already been instructed on the necessary elements of the crime, a reemphasis of identity was redundant, making refusal of this instruction proper. The second D-5 was an attempt at a confidential informant instruction. However, it was confusingly worded, and the fact that the witness was compensated had already been revealed to the jury. Therefore, all three challenged refusals were proper and well considered by the trial court. Sharp's allegations lack merit.