Stewart v. State

881 So. 2d 919, 2004 WL 1327043
CourtCourt of Appeals of Mississippi
DecidedJune 15, 2004
Docket2002-KA-01847-COA
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 881 So. 2d 919 (Stewart 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
Stewart v. State, 881 So. 2d 919, 2004 WL 1327043 (Mich. Ct. App. 2004).

Opinion

881 So.2d 919 (2004)

Terry Lamar STEWART, Appellant
v.
STATE of Mississippi, Appellee.

No. 2002-KA-01847-COA.

Court of Appeals of Mississippi.

June 15, 2004.
Rehearing Denied September 7, 2004.

*920 Ross Parker Simons, attorney for appellant.

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

EN BANC.

MYERS, J., for the Court.

¶ 1. Terry Lamar Stewart was convicted in the Circuit Court of Jackson County of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Aggrieved by his conviction and sentence, Stewart appeals to this Court and raises the following five issues.

ISSUES PRESENTED

I. Were Stewart's due process rights violated by the three-year delay from the time of his arrest until his trial?
II. Did the trial court commit reversible error by denying Stewart's motion *921 to suppress statements made to the police?
III. Did the trial court commit reversible error by allowing Stewart to be tried and convicted by an unsworn jury?
IV. Did the trial court err by refusing to allow Simeon Dykes to testify regarding his plea bargain of manslaughter?
V. Was the evidence presented sufficient to convict Stewart of capital murder?

STATEMENT OF FACTS

¶ 2. The record reflects that during the evening hours of Friday, July 8, 1998, Stewart along with a friend, Simeon Dykes, met Ralph Clayton Bourg, who was later the victim, at a bar in Pascagoula, Mississippi, called Third and Short. The men left Third and Short and went to another bar called Thunders. Stewart was not allowed inside Thunders because he did not have identification. Dykes and Bourg proceeded inside Thunders to continue drinking. After several hours passed, Dykes and Bourg left Thunders after they purchased some beer to take with them. They picked up Stewart and went out to The Point, a secluded location on the beach of the Mississippi Gulf Coast in Pascagoula. Dykes and Bourg began to fight and punch each other. Stewart jumped on Bourg and began stabbing him with a knife. Stewart and Dykes left Bourg at The Point after Dykes stole his wallet. Bourg's body was found at The Point by a man running along the beach the following morning. Bourg had been stabbed several times in his neck and chest area. Bourg's empty wallet was discovered inside Dykes' car.

¶ 3. Dykes and Stewart were jointly indicted for capital murder in violation of Mississippi Code Annotated Section 97-3-19(2)(e) (Rev.2000). Dykes pled guilty to the lesser offense of manslaughter. Stewart was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life without parole. Stewart's motion for a new trial, or in the alternative a JNOV, was denied by the trial court. From that order, Stewart now appeals to this Court.

ISSUES PRESENTED

I. WERE STEWART'S DUE PROCESS RIGHTS VIOLATED BY THE THREE YEAR DELAY FROM THE TIME OF HIS ARREST UNTIL HIS TRIAL?

¶ 4. Stewart claims that his fundamental due process rights were violated by the three-year delay from the time of his arrest until his trial. Stewart was arrested on July 11, 1998, indicted on September 22, 1998, and his trial began on August 8, 2001. He specifically states that he is not raising the Sixth Amendment right to a speedy trial argument on appeal but that he was denied due process because of the delay. Since Stewart does not raise the Sixth Amendment argument, we will not discuss the merits of that claim.

¶ 5. The record reflects that Stewart's trial was continued seven times with three continuances being agreed to by both the State and the defense. The other four were requested by Stewart's trial counsel. Since Stewart has asserted that his claim is not a denial of a speedy trial but a denial of due process, he limits the issue to pre-indictment delay. The case of De La Beckwith v. State, 707 So.2d 547, 569 (¶ 77) (Miss.1997), provides the analysis when a defendant claims a due process violation because of delay. To sustain a claim that a due process violation has occurred, the defendant must prove: (1) that the pre-indictment delay caused actual prejudice and (2) the delay was an intentional device by the government to obtain a tactical advantage over the defendant. *922 Id. Stewart's claim does not fit the description of De La Beckwith because his claim does not involve a pre-indictment delay. Stewart complains of the three-year delay after his arrest and indictment but before his trial. Therefore, the analysis of De La Beckwith and its progeny is inapplicable to Stewart's claim.

¶ 6. Stewart also argues that his access to the courts was limited because he could not object to the seven continuances made on his claim. Stewart also claims that he was denied an opportunity to call a hearing on his two motions for relief due to the delay of his trial. A prisoner is entitled to either access to the courts to prepare and file legal documents or adequate assistance from persons legally trained to do so. Parisie v. State, 848 So.2d 880, 884(¶ 9) (Miss.Ct.App.2002). If he receives either his rights have been protected. Id. Stewart's claim of denial of access to courts is without merit because he was appointed counsel to represent him. The record also indicates that Stewart filed several pre-trial motions on his own behalf. Stewart was not denied access to the court. This issue is without merit.

II. DID THE TRIAL COURT COMMIT REVERSIBLE ERROR BY DENYING STEWART'S MOTION TO SUPPRESS STATEMENTS MADE TO THE POLICE?

¶ 7. Stewart asserts that the trial court erred by denying his motion to suppress statements he made to the police following his arrest. Stewart claims that the statements should have been excluded because he was denied his right to an initial appearance within forty-eight hours of arrest as provided by Rule 6.03 of the Uniform Rules of Circuit and County Court.

¶ 8. When this Court reviews a trial court's ruling on a suppression hearing, we must determine whether the trial court's finding is supported by substantial evidence considering the totality of the circumstances. Reid v. State, 825 So.2d 701, 702(¶ 5) (Miss.Ct.App.2002). The admissibility of evidence lies within the trial court's discretion and will only be reversed if this discretion is abused. Crawford v. State, 754 So.2d 1211, 1215(¶ 7) (Miss.2000). "The discretion of the trial court must be exercised within the boundaries of the Mississippi Rules of Evidence." Reid, 825 So.2d at 702(¶ 5) (quoting Johnston v. State, 567 So.2d 237, 238 (Miss.1990)).

¶ 9. Stewart was arrested at approximately 4:00 a.m. on July 11, 1998 and was given Miranda warnings about thirty minutes later. The record reflects that Stewart signed a Miranda waiver form at 4:28 a.m. on July 11, 1998. After Stewart signed the form, he gave a statement to police. At no time did Stewart ask for an attorney or invoke his right to remain silent. Three days later, Stewart initiated a conversation with the police regarding the killing of Bourg. Stewart told the police that he needed to clear up some things he said during the first statement. Stewart signed another Miranda waiver form before he spoke to police. During this statement, Stewart mentions that Dykes said he was "gonna roll this guy [Bourg]." Stewart also recalled that Dykes took Bourg's wallet. During the suppression hearing, the trial judge found beyond a reasonable doubt that Stewart was given his Miranda

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
881 So. 2d 919, 2004 WL 1327043, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/stewart-v-state-missctapp-2004.