Evans v. State

957 So. 2d 430, 2007 WL 1532276
CourtCourt of Appeals of Mississippi
DecidedMay 29, 2007
Docket2005-KA-01802-COA
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 957 So. 2d 430 (Evans 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
Evans v. State, 957 So. 2d 430, 2007 WL 1532276 (Mich. Ct. App. 2007).

Opinion

957 So.2d 430 (2007)

Wilbur Lee EVANS a/k/a Wilbur Willie Lee Evans a/k/a Wilbur Jones a/k/a Wilbert Jones, Jr. a/k/a Grace, Appellant
v.
STATE of Mississippi, Appellee.

No. 2005-KA-01802-COA.

Court of Appeals of Mississippi.

May 29, 2007.

*432 Craig Andrew Conway, Attorney for Appellant.

Office of the Attorney General by Deirdre McCrory, Attorney for Appellee.

Before KING, C.J., CHANDLER AND ISHEE, JJ.

CHANDLER, J., for the Court.

¶ 1. A Lauderdale County jury convicted Wilbur Lee Evans of armed robbery. The Circuit Court of Lauderdale County sentenced Evans as a habitual offender to life in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. Evans appeals, arguing that the trial court erroneously granted the State's motion to amend the indictment to charge Evans as a habitual offender and that the trial court erred in refusing a cautionary jury instruction proffered by Evans. Evans also challenges the weight and sufficiency of the evidence.

¶ 2. Finding no error, we affirm.

FACTS

¶ 3. Just before midnight on May 25, 2004, three masked men entered the Dixie Pak-A-Sak convenience store on Highway 19 in Meridian, Mississippi. The men's faces were covered with bandannas. One man wielded a silver pistol but the others were unarmed.

¶ 4. The cashier on duty was Billy Fain, who was counting cigarettes when the men arrived. Fain testified that the man with the gun pointed it at him and stated "All right, you smart-mouth m_____f_____, what you got smart to say now?" Fain told the men they were stupid. Then the man approached Fain, stuck the gun in his stomach, and threatened to kill him. The man ordered Fain to get on the floor, which he did, but then ordered him to get back up and to open the cash register. Fain complied. The man with the gun took between $175 and $185 out of the register. The man asked Fain for the store's money bag and Fain said that all the store's extra money was in a metal safe. The man demanded that Fain open the safe, but Fain said the safe was on a timer and he could not open it. The man pointed the gun at Fain and fired a shot that missed him and went through the window. Then, the man hit Fain in the head with the pistol. After Fain convinced the three robbers that he lacked access to any more money, they took some cigarettes and departed, heading around the left side of the store. Fain called 911. At the trial, Fain was unable to identify the man with the gun but described him as African-American, muscular, about six feet three inches tall, and about 175 to 185 pounds. This general description matched Evans.

¶ 5. Officer Kevin Boyd with the Meridian Police Department testified that he responded to the robbery call at 11:48 p.m. Upon arriving, he secured the scene and observed a bullet hole through the window and the cashier in an "obvious upset state." He recovered one projectile shell casing from behind a cigarette display. He also recovered a projectile outside that was lodged in the fuel pump's access panel. Police also recovered a videotape depicting the robbery but the participants' masks prevented their identification from the videotape.

¶ 6. Antonio Houston and Samon Powell testified on behalf of the State that they had participated in the robbery and both identified Evans in court as the gunman. Houston testified that Evans and Powell picked him up from an apartment complex in Neshoba County on the afternoon of May 25, 2004. Evans was driving a black Saturn vehicle. The three drove to Meridian, Mississippi. On the way, Evans *433 brought up the idea of robbing a store. Powell agreed they should do it. Houston testified that they stopped at the Dixie Pak-A-Sak and donned bandannas. Houston testified that Evans took the gun and led them into the store. Houston said Evans demanded that the clerk open the cash register and the clerk complied. Houston denied that Evans had a verbal exchange with the clerk. Houston testified that he personally removed the money from the cash register. Houston stated that the clerk was unable to open the safe because it was on a timer. Houston related that Evans fired one shot and struck the clerk with the gun. Houston said the three returned to Neshoba County after the robbery. Houston admitted that he had agreed to testify at Evans's trial on behalf of the State in exchange for a plea recommendation. He further admitted that, in an initial statement to the police, he had denied any responsibility for the robbery.

¶ 7. Samon Powell testified he and Evans met Houston at a Wal-Mart in Neshoba County where the three stole bandannas. Powell stated that Houston left. Later, Evans and Powell picked up Houston at the apartment complex. They drove around Neshoba County evaluating stores to potentially rob but did not find one. Evans drove them to Meridian. They stopped at the Dixie Pak-A-Sak because no one was in the parking lot. They parked on one side of the store and went inside. Evans pointed the gun at the clerk and demanded he open the cash register. The clerk opened the register. Powell stated that Houston removed the register's drawer and Evans took the cash from the drawer. Evans fired a shot and told the cashier to get down or he would shoot him. Then, they departed. Powell said he took a pack of cigarettes before leaving. Powell admitted that he had promised to testify at Evans's trial in exchange for a plea recommendation from the State. Powell also acknowledged his initial statement to the police, in which he admitted participation in the robbery but claimed Evans had forced him to participate by threatening him and his son. Powell maintained that his initial statement to the police was truthful.

¶ 8. Paul McShepard testified that he talked to Evans and Houston at the apartment complex in Philadelphia around June 30, 2004. McShepard was sitting on some steps and Evans and Houston were standing. Houston told McShepard that he and Evans had robbed a store off Highway 19 in Meridian. Houston said a window was shot out and they took money. During the conversation, Evans never contradicted what Houston told McShepard about the robbery. McShepard admitted that he had pending charges in Kemper County and was testifying pursuant to a plea deal.

¶ 9. After the trial on August 10-11, 2005, the jury found Evans guilty of armed robbery. At a separate hearing on August 22, 2005, the court sentenced Evans as a habitual offender to life without the possibility of parole.

LAW AND ANALYSIS

I. DID THE COURT ERR IN GRANTING THE STATE'S MOTION TO AMEND THE INDICTMENT TO ALLOW THE DEFENDANT TO BE CHARGED AS A HABITUAL OFFENDER?

¶ 10. The record reflects that Evans, Houston, and Powell were indicted for armed robbery and the lesser offense of robbery on November 19, 2004. On February 2, 2005, Evans's trial was continued due to plea negotiations. The trial was continued again on April 11, 2005 and on June 1, 2005. On April 19, 2005, the State moved to amend the indictment to charge *434 Evans as a habitual offender pursuant to Mississippi Code Annotated section 99-19-83 (Rev.2000). The State attached a list of several of Evans's prior felony convictions that it intended to use to establish his habitual offender status. The motion stated in bold lettering that the State was seeking a life sentence without the possibility of parole or probation.

¶ 11. On May 24, 2005, the court entered an order granting the motion to amend the indictment to charge Evans as a habitual offender under section 99-19-83. Rule 7.09 of the Uniform Rules of Circuit and County Court provides:

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
957 So. 2d 430, 2007 WL 1532276, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/evans-v-state-missctapp-2007.