Epps v. State

984 So. 2d 1042, 2008 WL 427961
CourtCourt of Appeals of Mississippi
DecidedFebruary 19, 2008
Docket2007-KA-00139-COA
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 984 So. 2d 1042 (Epps v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Mississippi primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Epps v. State, 984 So. 2d 1042, 2008 WL 427961 (Mich. Ct. App. 2008).

Opinion

984 So.2d 1042 (2008)

Clarence E. EPPS, Appellant,
v.
STATE of Mississippi, Appellee.

No. 2007-KA-00139-COA.

Court of Appeals of Mississippi.

February 19, 2008.
Rehearing Denied June 24, 2008.

*1043 Thomas Richard Mayfield, Thomas E. Royals, Jackson, attorneys for appellant.

Office of the Attorney General by Deshun Terrell Martin, attorney for appellee.

Before LEE, P.J., CHANDLER, GRIFFIS and BARNES, JJ.

GRIFFIS, J., for the Court.

¶ 1. On November 15, 2006, Clarence Epps was found guilty in the Circuit Court for the First Judicial District of Hinds County for the aggravated assault of his stepfather, James Eubanks. Epps's sentence was enhanced because the victim, Eubanks, was over the age of sixty-five at the time of the incident, and Epps was a habitual offender. On appeal, Epps argues: (1) the trial court erred when it denied his motion for a mental examination, (2) the State committed plain error when it commented on Epps's failure to testify, and (3) his counsel was ineffective for failing to fully investigate and develop an insanity defense or the issue of incompetency. We find no error and affirm.

FACTS

¶ 2. On the day before trial, Epps moved for a mental examination to determine whether or not he was competent to stand trial. During a hearing on the motion, Epps called his mother, Elma Eubanks. She testified that "when [Epps is] not taking his medicine he talks out [of] his head some. . . . He talks about Martin Luther King, God . . . [and] the bible." She also said that he roams late at night and talks to desk fans. She testified that she first committed Epps to the state hospital in *1044 1986 and that Epps has been suffering from the same mental ailment for twenty years. She said he had also been admitted to the Veterans' Administration Hospital, the University Medical Center, St. Dominic's Hospital, and Brentwood Hospital for psychological treatment. She said she had been to chancery court three times to have him committed.

¶ 3. Epps's mother stated that Epps had just been released from Brentwood Hospital on the day that Epps shot Eubanks. She also testified that, after Epps was arrested for shooting Eubanks, the staff of the Hinds County Detention Center did not properly administer Epps's medicine to him; and Epps had been placed on suicide watch for a short period of time while confined. She also testified that the state hospital diagnosed him with schizophrenia and bipolar-like symptoms.

¶ 4. On cross-examination, Epps's mother revealed that Epps had been denied disability benefits. She also said that Epps checked himself out of Brentwood on the day of the shooting, and Brentwood had administered medicine to Epps while he stayed there. She stated that usually the mental health facilities discharged Epps after approximately thirty days. She agreed that the detention center was now properly administering Epps's medicine to him.

¶ 5. In its ruling, the trial court found that Epps had presented no medical evidence. The court stated that there had been two prior guilty pleas by the defendant and that there is a presumption that he properly assisted his counsel in these cases, which were just five years old.[1] Thus, the trial court found that Epps's psychosis did not hinder his participation in his previous cases. The trial court viewed the evidence presented to it by Epps as "more of a scintilla type of evidence." Therefore, the trial court denied Epps's motion.

¶ 6. At trial, James Eubanks, the victim, testified for the State. Prior to the shooting, Eubanks had told his wife and Epps on several occasions that Epps could not live with them. Eubanks testified that on the day of the shooting Epps walked over to his house to get something to eat. Eubanks said that, after Epps got some food out of the refrigerator, he went into Eubanks's bedroom and retrieved Eubanks's pistol. Eubanks stated that Epps shot him in his hand and in his head. They fought briefly, and Eubanks ran and fell through the front door onto the front porch. When Eubanks fell onto the porch, Epps left the scene of the shooting with the pistol.

¶ 7. Detective Kent Daniels also testified for the State. Daniels said that he explained Epps's Miranda rights to him during Epps's interrogation. Daniels also stated Epps signed a Miranda waiver form. Next, Daniels said that Epps confessed that he had shot Eubanks, and Epps signed a written confession. Epps also admitted that after the shooting he threw the gun in a ditch when he was running from the scene. He also stated that he fired the weapon at Eubanks once or twice. Detective Daniels also testified during a motion to suppress Epps's confession. Detective Daniels stated that on the day of the confession, which occurred two days after the shooting, Epps acted normal. This statement was corroborated during the hearing on the motion by Detective Perry Tate, who was also present during the confession. Detective Tate emphasized that Epps did not act crazy during the interrogation.

*1045 ¶ 8. After Daniel's testimony, the State rested. Epps did not testify. Therefore, the defense called no witnesses and rested. Further facts will be discussed in the analysis section as needed.

ANALYSIS

I. Did the trial court err when it denied Epps's motion for a mental examination?

¶ 9. Epps argues that the trial court erred when it denied his motion for a mental examination. A circuit court judge, if he or she has "reasonable ground to believe that the defendant is incompetent to stand trial, shall order the defendant to submit to a mental examination by some competent psychiatrist . . . in accordance with § 99-13-11. . . ." URCCC 9.06. Mississippi Code Annotated section 99-13-11 (Rev.2007) was promulgated to confirm that a defendant is "mentally capable of standing trial and able to assist his attorney in preparation of his defense." Benish v. State, 733 So.2d 855, 856(¶ 8) (Miss.Ct. App.1999). The defendant bears the burden of "persuad[ing] the trial judge that there is sufficient evidence to warrant a mental examination." Wilson v. State, 755 So.2d 2, 4(¶ 7) (Miss.Ct.App.1999). "When the trial court has made a finding that the evidence does not show a probability that the defendant is incapable of making a rational defense, this Court will not overturn that finding unless the finding was manifestly against the overwhelming weight of the evidence." Dunn v. State, 693 So.2d 1333, 1341 (Miss.1997).

¶ 10. In the present case, Epps offered no medical evidence that he was not competent to stand trial. While Epps's mother did testify that Epps has suffered from psychosis, she did not bring any medical records or documentation to the hearing. The hearing also revealed that, despite suffering from psychological ailments for twenty years, Epps was competent enough to assist his previous counsel with his two prior guilty pleas. Furthermore, both Epps and his mother testified that Epps was able to function when he took his medicine, and Epps's mother testified that the Hinds County Detention Center's staff was properly administering Epps's medicine to him at the time of the hearing and before the trial. Thus, we agree with the trial court on this issue and find that the trial judge's decision was not against the overwhelming weight of the evidence.

II. Did the state commit plain error by commenting on the fact that Epps did not testify?

¶ 11.

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Bluebook (online)
984 So. 2d 1042, 2008 WL 427961, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/epps-v-state-missctapp-2008.