Opinion ID: 1640733
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: whether the state lacked probable cause for the arrest.

Text: ¶ 68. The murder of Pernell occurred on May 15, 2000. At the time, Howell was on probation for a previous drug conviction. As a condition of his probation, Howell was required to make a monthly payment to his probation officer. In April 2000, after several months of missed payments, Howell's probation officer initiated the process of issuing an arrest warrant for Howell; however, the warrant was not executed. After the murder, New Albany police officers contacted the probation office to find out if there was an available photograph of Howell. At that time they discovered that there was an outstanding warrant for Howell's arrest. A probation officer signed the warrant, and Howell was arrested. After the arrest, Howell was subjected to the lineup and he also presented his unverifiable alibi of being in Corinth with an unknown woman. In his petition, Howell claims that the arrest was illegal and that the comments and the lineup which stemmed from it should have been suppressed. Howell likewise claims that law enforcement officers should have been aware that the trial judge had held a hearing on the morning of May 15 and granted Howell a continuance to pay the probation arrearage. ¶ 69. This matter was raised at the trial court level and was discussed in Howell's direct appeal. Howell, 860 So.2d at 731. This Court found that the arrest was proper; therefore, this claim is procedurally barred. Miss.Code Ann. § 99-39-21 (Rev. 2007). ¶ 70. Howell's new wrinkle at this stage in the proceedings is that the State should have known that on the same day that the warrant was executed, the trial judge had extended the time for making the past-due probation payments. The State fails to address this issue in its response. ¶ 71. We find that the evidence adduced as a result of the arrest was properly admitted. This Court has recognized a good-faith exception to the exclusionary rule in certain circumstances. See White v. State, 842 So.2d 565, 570 (Miss.2003). Where the officers execute the warrant in good faith and reasonably rely on the warrant, the evidence is properly admitted. There is no indication that the officers who arrested or questioned Howell exhibited any bad faith in relying on the warrant. This issue is thus without merit.