Opinion ID: 1792208
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Issue: Whether the State's Motion in Limine Was Properly Granted?

Text: As discussed in Section I of this opinion, the charges in the case sub judice stemmed from the Kings' unsuccessful attempts to influence jurors in a drug trial involving Johnny. The judge declared a mistrial in the drug trial, and a second drug trial got underway. In the second trial, the jury found Johnny not guilty of the drug charge. In the case sub judice, the State made a motion to limit and restrict [Johnny] and counsel and any of their witnesses from making any reference either direct or indirect about the acquittal of Johnny in his second trial on the drug charge. The State reasoned: We believe that the fact that he was acquitted is totally irrelevant ... to the matter being tried now. Johnny responded that his acquittal ... is clearly and definitely relevant to show the lack of motive. Restated, Johnny contended he should be permitted to reveal to the jury in the case sub judice that, having been found innocent [in the second drug trial, he] would have had no motive to be involved in any type of jury tampering scheme. The judge granted the State's motion, and Johnny appealed. Rules 401 and 402 of the Mississippi Rules of Evidence are relevant to the disposition of this issue. Under Rule 401, evidence is relevant if it tends to make the existence of any fact that is of consequence to the determination of the action more probable or less probable than it would be without the evidence. See, e.g., Mississippi State Highway Comm'n v. Dixie Contractors, Inc., 375 So.2d 1202, 1205 (Miss. 1979). Under Rule 402, evidence which is not relevant is not admissible. Judge Carlson concluded that Johnny's acquittal of the drug charge had no relevance whatsoever  i.e., the evidence had no probative value in proving or disproving the probability that Johnny attempted to influence the jury in his first drug trial. This Court agrees and affirms his decision. Sanders v. State, 429 So.2d 245, 251 (Miss. 1983).