McCoy v. State

878 So. 2d 167, 2004 WL 117631
CourtCourt of Appeals of Mississippi
DecidedJanuary 27, 2004
Docket2002-KA-01461-COA
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 878 So. 2d 167 (McCoy 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
McCoy v. State, 878 So. 2d 167, 2004 WL 117631 (Mich. Ct. App. 2004).

Opinion

878 So.2d 167 (2004)

Leon McCOY, Appellant
v.
STATE of Mississippi, Appellee.

No. 2002-KA-01461-COA.

Court of Appeals of Mississippi.

January 27, 2004.
Rehearing Denied April 13, 2004.
Certiorari Denied July 22, 2004.

*169 James A. Williams, Meridian, attorney for appellant.

*170 Office of the Attorney General by Scott Stuart, attorney for appellee.

Before KING, P.J., LEE and CHANDLER, JJ.

LEE, J., for the Court.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

¶ 1. On June 17, 2002, a jury in the Circuit Court of Lauderdale County found Leon McCoy not guilty of kidnaping but guilty of sexual battery of S.C., a female minor. McCoy had originally been indicted for kidnaping and statutory rape, but the rape charge was later changed to sexual battery. McCoy, as an habitual offender, was sentenced to serve thirty years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections with no possibility of parole. McCoy now appeals to this Court asserting the following issues: (1) his right to remain silent was improperly inquired into on cross-examination; (2) the trial judge communicated to the jury that he believed the victim was telling the truth and thereby denied him a fair trial; (3) the trial court erred in overruling his objection during the State's closing argument; (4) the trial court erred in admitting the victim's statement to her aunt describing what had happened to her; (5) the overwhelming weight and sufficiency of the evidence did not support the guilty verdict; (6) the trial judge erred in granting jury instruction C-10; and (7) he was denied effective assistance of counsel.

FACTS

¶ 2. On December 10, 1999, S.C. and a friend were walking to school when McCoy drove by and asked S.C.'s friend if he wanted a ride to school. S.C.'s friend got into the car while S.C. kept walking. McCoy told S.C. that if she got in the car he would not hurt her. S.C. got into the car and McCoy then drove them to Marion Park. Both S.C. and her friend exited the car. As S.C. was walking towards Meridian High School, McCoy came back, grabbed her, tied her up, and put her in his car. After driving down a dirt road, McCoy stopped the car and began to take off S.C.'s clothes. McCoy then inserted his finger into S.C.'s anus and starting licking her genitals. At some point McCoy inserted his penis into S.C.'s vagina. S.C. testified that McCoy was holding a weapon to her head, which she at first thought was a gun, but was later determined to be a knife.

¶ 3. After McCoy was finished with S.C., he untied her, put her in the front seat, and drove her to an apartment complex where he proceeded to kick her out of the car. S.C. immediately ran to her aunt's apartment and reported what had happened. S.C. testified that she had not put up much of a fight because she was afraid, but there were scratches on her leg and a bald spot on her head where McCoy had pulled her hair out. McCoy was taken into custody soon after the incident.

DISCUSSION OF ISSUES

I. WAS McCOY'S RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT IMPROPERLY INQUIRED INTO UPON CROSS-EXAMINATION?

¶ 4. In his first issue, McCoy contends that the State on cross-examination improperly asked him if he invoked his constitutional right not to incriminate himself after being arrested. McCoy cites Doyle v. Ohio, 426 U.S. 610, 617, 96 S.Ct. 2240, 49 L.Ed.2d 91 (1976) for the proposition that once a suspect has been given a warning pursuant to Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 479, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694 (1966), then using the exercise of the right to remain silent to impeach the defendant at trial undermines the right not *171 to incriminate oneself. According to our supreme court, a prosecutor's repeated reference to a defendant's post-arrest silence, after he received warnings that he need not answer questions, violated due process. Caston v. State, 823 So.2d 473(¶ 97) (Miss.2002); see also Johnson v. State, 596 So.2d 865, 868-69 (Miss.1992).

¶ 5. However, there can be no infringement upon the right to remain silent when the defendant does not exercise his right to remain silent when questioned at the time of the arrest. Sheely v. State, 836 So.2d 798(¶ 10) (Miss.Ct.App.2002). Furthermore, it is not error to allow the State on cross-examination to ask about an issue already inquired into by the defendant's counsel on direct examination. Cheeks v. State, 843 So.2d 87(¶ 9) (Miss.Ct.App.2003). On direct examination, McCoy testified about his experience in the police station. McCoy stated that he spoke to Detective Thompson, who brought him a waiver of rights form at 4:00 p.m. At that time, McCoy signed a statement that he understood his rights, but not the statement that he waived his rights. After stating that he did not say anything to Detective Thompson, McCoy did admit on cross that he told Detective Thompson that he did not do it, but only after he signed the statement. Upon further questioning, McCoy contended that telling the detective that he was innocent did not amount to giving a statement. Detective Lewis also testified that, later that evening, McCoy admitted that he had inserted his finger in S.C.'s anus and licked her genitals, but had not inserted his penis into her vagina. We find it interesting that McCoy claims his right to silence was infringed when he admitted to not remaining silent. We fail to see how McCoy's due process rights were violated once he failed to remain silent; thus, this issue is without merit.

II. DID THE TRIAL COURT DENY McCoy A FAIR TRIAL BY COMMUNICATING TO THE JURY THAT HE BELIEVED THE VICTIM WAS TELLING THE TRUTH?

¶ 6. In his second issue, McCoy contends that the judge believed S.C.'s testimony and communicated this fact to the jury in his rulings. McCoy also believes that the judge should have allowed a peremptory instruction in order to show the jury that he was impartial. In addition, McCoy claims that the judge further prejudiced his case when he referred to S.C. as the "victim" in the jury instructions.

¶ 7. McCoy's contention that the judge believed S.C.'s testimony centers on different places in the record where the judge spoke the word "truth." Actually, McCoy is mistaken in suggesting that the judge was partial to S.C.'s version of the events. The judge made statements about the "truth of the matter" in ruling on various objections. These were not remarks about the credibility of the witnesses, rather they were findings in response to hearsay objections. In fact, the judge allowed McCoy to present testimony concerning the possibility that S.C. had lied by overruling the State's hearsay objections. We fail to see how the jury could misinterpret the judge's ruling on evidentiary matters as an indication that he believed S.C.'s version of the facts.

¶ 8. McCoy also mentions that a peremptory instruction should have been granted on the kidnaping charge in order to show the jury that the judge was impartial. Mississippi law is clear on the subject of peremptory instructions in criminal cases: "peremptory instructions should be refused if there is enough evidence to support a verdict." Warn v. State, 349 So.2d 1055, 1055 (Miss.1977). See also Hicks v. State, 580 So.2d 1302, 1304 (Miss.1991); *172 Benson v. State, 551 So.2d 188, 193 (Miss.1989). As McCoy was acquitted on the kidnaping charge, we fail to see how the denial of a peremptory instruction is relevant on this appeal.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
878 So. 2d 167, 2004 WL 117631, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mccoy-v-state-missctapp-2004.