Opinion ID: 1655531
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Conspiracy to Commit Murder Charge

Text: ¶ 19. Holmes was convicted of murder and conspiracy to commit murder. A conspiracy is a combination of two or more persons agreeing to accomplish an unlawful purpose, or agreeing to accomplish a lawful purpose unlawfully. Clayton v. State, 582 So.2d 1019, 1021 (Miss.1991)(citing Miss.Code Ann. § 97-1-1). The act of any conspirator is the act of all of the conspirators. Norman v. State, 381 So.2d 1024, 1029 (Miss.1980)(citing Riley v. State, 208 Miss. 336, 44 So.2d 455 (1950)). ¶ 20. Holmes contends that there is no evidence that he ever consented to a plan to kill Simmons. He claims that he was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time. The State argues that, from the evidence presented, a reasonable juror could have found that (1) Holmes went to Gowdy's house armed with a 9mm handgun; (2) Kenneth Brown was there and also armed with a 9mm handgun; (3) Gowdy's house had allegedly been burglarized by Simmons and Gowdy was looking for a gun; (4) Holmes saw Simmons and announced that fact to Gowdy and Brown; (5) Gowdy and Brown then went inside the house while Holmes stood outside and talked to Simmons, knowing Gowdy and Brown were going to come out and shoot Simmons; (6) after the shooting, at least two witnesses saw Holmes and Brown, with their weapons drawn, asking each other, Did you get him? Did you get that nigger? ¶ 21. We find that reasonable jurors could find Holmes guilty of conspiracy to commit murder. There were conflicting statements and testimony from Holmes and Brown about the above listed facts, but it was for the jury to weigh the credibility of the testimony and statements. Jones v. State, 381 So.2d 983, 989 (Miss. 1980).