Opinion ID: 1782423
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Presentation of the lesser-included offense issue on appeal.

Text: ¶ 31. At trial, the defense offered jury instructions on the lesser-included offense of simple murder. The State objected on the basis that there was no evidentiary basis for a finding of simple murder on either count. The trial court refused the instruction. On direct appeal, Turner argued that the trial court erred in refusing a simple murder instruction. This Court considered that issue and analyzed the criteria for giving a lesser-included offense instruction. The Court found that: no error was committed by the trial judge in denying the lesser included offense charge of simple murder. The facts from the record simply do not support that theory of the case. The testimony of Stewartthe same testimony Turner relies upon as the basis of his argument for the lesser included offense of simple murder instructionclearly details how the intent and purpose of Turner in the early morning hours of December 13, 1995, was to rob a store. This testimony from Stewart as to intent was uncontradicted by any other testimony. Therefore, taking this uncontradicted testimony as true, it was Turner's specific intent throughout the events of those early morning hours, up to and including the times of both murders, to commit armed robbery. Turner, 732 So.2d at 949. ¶ 32. Turner argues that his attorney was ineffective in failing to argue in the appellant's reply brief that Stewart's testimony was subject to extensive cross-examination and that the testimony was not uncontradicted. Whether Turner was entitled to a lesser-included offense instruction has been addressed and is now barred from further consideration. Miss.Code Ann. § 99-39-21(2); Lockett v. State, 614 So.2d 888, 893 (Miss.1992). ¶ 33. Turner now asserts that this Court would have reached a different result if his attorney had properly addressed it in the reply brief. The claim, in essence, is that the attorney should have argued in the reply brief that Stewart was cross-examined extensively and that his testimony was not uncontradicted. We find this claim to be without merit. ¶ 34. This plea relies on a false presumption, i.e., this Court failed to fully review Stewart's testimony, including his cross-examination. All testimony was reviewed in detail. No contradictions were found then, and, after a second review, we again find that Stewart's testimony was uncontradicted. Turner alludes to no specific testimony where Stewart said anything other than that he and Turner planned to rob a store with rifles, and that Curry and Stewart were murdered in furtherance of that armed robbery plan. No lesser included offense instruction was warranted. No amount of argument could change that fact.