Poole v. State

826 So. 2d 1222, 2002 WL 504459
CourtMississippi Supreme Court
DecidedApril 4, 2002
Docket2000-KA-01831-SCT
StatusPublished
Cited by58 cases

This text of 826 So. 2d 1222 (Poole v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Mississippi Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Poole v. State, 826 So. 2d 1222, 2002 WL 504459 (Mich. 2002).

Opinion

826 So.2d 1222 (2002)

Robert POOLE, Jr. a/k/a Robert Reed, Jr.
v.
STATE of Mississippi.

No. 2000-KA-01831-SCT.

Supreme Court of Mississippi.

April 4, 2002.
Rehearing Denied June 6, 2002.

*1225 David L. Walker, Southaven, attorney for appellant.

Office of the Attorney General by John R. Henry, attorneys for appellee.

Before SMITH, P.J., WALLER and COBB, JJ.

WALLER, J., for the Court.

¶ 1. James L. Goodman, Robert Poole, Jr., a/k/a Robert Reed, Jr. ("Robert"), Willie C. Reed (Robert's brother), and Carnell Bradford were indicted for the robbery and capital murder of Gene "Preacher" Lilly in the Circuit Court of the First Judicial District of Tallahatchie County, Mississippi. Robert was tried separately and convicted of capital murder and conspiracy to commit robbery. He was sentenced to life in prison for the capital murder and five additional years for conspiracy to commit robbery, said five years to run consecutively to the life sentence. After considering Robert's claims pertaining to an inflammatory remark made during voir dire, violation of speedy trial, and erroneous rulings on jury instructions, we affirm the conviction and sentence.

FACTS

¶ 2. On January 15, 1999, sixty-nine year old Gene "Preacher" Lilly was robbed and killed at his home near Tippo in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi. In the days preceding his murder, Lilly had planned to open a store and had talked to several individuals about doing so. Doyle Staten owned "Staten's Food Mart," a short order cafe/gas station/convenience store in Tallahatchie County that was frequented by Lilly sometimes three or four times a day. Staten had told Lilly that he would need small bills and change to open a store. Staten had served Lilly supper late in the afternoon before his murder and noticed Lilly's front pockets bulging with money he needed to open his store the next day.

¶ 3. That same evening, Goodman, a serviceman for Tallahatchie Valley, had gone from Charleston to Westbrook's, a club and store in the southern part of Tallahatchie County, west of Tippo, to put in a box.[1] Goodman had picked up Robert and his brother Willie in Charleston as he was leaving to go to Westbrook's. Robert and Goodman were seen in Goodman's white blazer at Westbrook's. While they were at Westbrook's, Robert told his cousin Earnest Lee Taylor, "We're fixing to go over here and go make a hit," and, "Well we're going to go rob a little white man." The group visited another nightclub called Eddie B's, located north of Tippo, where Robert asked Goodman to let his cousin Bradford ride back to Charleston with them, to which Goodman agreed.

¶ 4. The group traveled the back way to Charleston because they had been warned that the Highway Patrol was at Cowart. The back way took them by Lilly's house. Robert said he knew where some money was. Goodman asked, "Where?" to which Robert Reed answered, "Lilly." They parked in a curve near Lilly's house. Goodman, Bradford, and Robert went up to the house to get the money. Bradford tried to open a side window but could not get in. Bradford finally gained entrance through a back window and opened the back door for Robert and Goodman. As the group entered, they found Lilly lying on the couch. Bradford picked him up and threw him on the floor. Robert and Bradford *1226 tied Lilly up with a sheet. Robert then placed a pillow over Lilly's head. Goodman became scared and ran back to the truck. A couple of minutes later Bradford and Robert came running back to the Blazer. Bradford and Robert gave Goodman $50.00.

¶ 5. Steven Hayne, M.D., a forensic pathologist called by the State, testified that he found multiple injuries to Lilly's body, including bruises about the eye, cheek, lower lip, and over upper chest extending to the left shoulder. Defensive posturing injuries were present. Dr. Hayne testified that the cause of death was suffocation and burking (compression of the chest) caused by someone standing, kneeling, or sitting on Lilly's chest as indicated by the fractures to the ribs.

DISCUSSION

I. WHETHER THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN FAILING TO GRANT ROBERT'S MOTION FOR A MISTRIAL AFTER PROSPECTIVE JUROR DOGAN STATED IN VOIR DIRE THAT ROBERT TERRORIZED HER DURING HER CHILDHOOD.

¶ 6. Robert argues that he was entitled to a mistrial because of comments made during voir dire by Ms. Dogan, one of the venirewomen. The record reflects the following exchange during voir dire:

THE COURT: Okay. Okay. Then you don't need to respond further, Ms. Skinner. Anyone else have any connection or—you see what we're getting in and what we run into.
MS. DOGAN: 56.
THE COURT: Fifty what?
MS. DOGAN: 56.
THE COURT: 56. Ms. Dogan?
MS. DOGAN: Yes, sir.
THE COURT: Which of those that I called out do you have some connection with?
MS. DOGAN: I was just sitting here looking at Robert Poole (Robert Reed) and how he used to terrorize me when I was little.
THE COURT: Okay. You don't need to respond further, Ms. Dogan.
MR. WALKER: I move for a mistrial, Your Honor, based upon her comments.
THE COURT: Yes, sir. I'll give you a chance to put it on the record later, but that's—you don't need to respond further, Ms. Dogan. Anyone else have any connection with—with Goodman, Willie Reed or Carnell Bradford?
(NO RESPONSE.)
THE COURT: Okay, Ms. Dogan, you can be excused at this time and, Ms. Skinner, you can be excused at this time.

¶ 7. The granting of a mistrial is governed by URCCC 3.12, which states:

Upon motion of any party, the court may declare a mistrial if there occurs during the trial, either inside or outside the courtroom, misconduct by the party, the party's attorneys, or someone acting at the behest of the party or the party's attorney, resulting in substantial and irreparable prejudice to the movant's case.
Upon motion of a party or its own motion, the court may declare a mistrial if:
1. The trial cannot proceed in conformity with law; or
2. It appears there is no reasonable probability of the jury's agreement upon a verdict.

¶ 8. In Evans v. State, 725 So.2d 613, 649 (Miss.1997), this Court stated:

The decision to declare a mistrial is within the sound discretion of the trial judge. See Arizona v. Washington, 434 *1227 U.S. 497, 512, 98 S.Ct. 824, 834, 54 L.Ed.2d 717 (1978); Grandberry v. Bonner, 653 F.2d 1010 (5th Cir.1981). To find error from a trial judge's failure to declare a mistrial, there must have been an abuse of discretion. Jones v. State, 398 So.2d 1312, 1318 (Miss.1981); Schwarzauer v. State, 339 So.2d 980, 982 (Miss.1976).
The court shall declare a mistrial upon the defendant's motion if there occurs during the trial an error or legal defect in the proceeding, or conduct inside or outside the courtroom, resulting in substantial and irreparable prejudice to the defendant's case.

725 So.2d at 649.

¶ 9. Robert made a timely objection moving for a mistrial. The trial court allowed argument later, outside the presence of the jury.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
826 So. 2d 1222, 2002 WL 504459, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/poole-v-state-miss-2002.