Jerry Jerome Smith v. State of Alabama

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REL: 02/04/2011 Notice: T h i s o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o formal r e v i s i o n b e f o r e p u b l i c a t i o n i n t h e advance s h e e t s o f Southern R e p o r t e r . R e a d e r s a r e r e q u e s t e d t o n o t i f y t h e R e p o r t e r o f D e c i s i o n s , Alabama A p p e l l a t e C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r A v e n u e , M o n t g o m e r y , A l a b a m a 3 6 1 0 4 - 3 7 4 1 ((334) 2 2 9 - 0 6 4 9 ) , o f a n y t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r o t h e r e r r o r s , i n o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may be made b e f o r e t h e o p i n i o n i s p r i n t e d i n Southern R e p o r t e r . ALABAMA COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS OCTOBER TERM, 2010-2011 CR-97-1258 Jerry Jerome Smith v. S t a t e o f Alabama Appeal from H o u s t o n C i r c u i t (CC-97-270) Court On Remand f r o m t h e A l a b a m a Supreme Court WINDOM, J u d g e . In 1998, J e r r y Jerome murder f o r k i l l i n g W i l l i e Bennett Smith Flournoy, b y one a c t o r p u r s u a n t was c o n v i c t e d of capital T h e r e s a Helms, a n d D a v i d t o one scheme or course of CR-97-1258 conduct, see § 13A-5-40(a)(10), A l a . Code 1975. recommended, by a v o t e o f 11 - 1, t h a t S m i t h be death. In circuit accordance with the jury's appeal, conviction, correct this Court affirmed b u t remanded t h e c a u s e i t s sentencing order. sentenced to recommendation, 2000). After circuit court to affirmed remanding Smith's the correct death CR-97-1258, A u g u s t f o r the c i r c u i t Smith v. So.3d ___ cause a second 31, 2001] See So. Smith 3d [Ms. ( A l a . Crim. time i t s sentencing order, sentence. court to State, v. App. for this , Thereafter, o r d e r e d a new p e n a l t y - p h a s e h e a r i n g . See Ex p a r t e S m i t h , After a recommended b y The second a vote circuit So. 3d ___ penalty-phase of 10-2 that [Ms. ( A l a . Crim. A l a b a m a Supreme C o u r t r e v e r s e d S m i t h ' s d e a t h s e n t e n c e 1010267, M a r c h 14, 2003] ___ the Court State, 2000) ( o p i n i o n on r e t u r n t o s e c o n d r e m a n d ) . death. the Smith's c a p i t a l - m u r d e r See CR-97-1258, December 22, 2 0 0 0 ] ___ the jury c o u r t sentenced Smith t o death. On App. The and [Ms. ( A l a . 2003). hearing, Smith be c o u r t f o l l o w e d the j u r y ' s the sentenced jury to recommendation and a g a i n s e n t e n c e d S m i t h t o d e a t h . On r e t u r n t o remand, t h i s Court mentally "concluded that Smith 2 is retarded and, CR-97-1258 therefore, the trial ... ineligible c o u r t t o set a s i d e Smith's sentence him t o l i f e parole." So. imprisonment Ex p a r t e S m i t h , 3d , C r i m . App. September 2006) Supreme sentence to without the p o s s i b i l i t y of [Ms. 1080973, O c t o b e r 22, 2010] 29, Smith 2006] ___ (opinion Court death directed and (Ala. 2010)(citing CR-97-1258, Alabama f o r t h e d e a t h p e n a l t y and So. on r e t u r n reversed v. 3d ___ , ___ to t h i r d this State, [Ms. (Ala. remand)). Court's The judgment and remanded t h e c a u s e f o r t h e c i r c u i t c o u r t t o c o n d u c t an A t k i n s 1 h e a r i n g t o d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r S m i t h i s m e n t a l l y r e t a r d e d and t o make s p e c i f i c f i n d i n g s o f f a c t p u r s u a n t t o Ex p a r t e P e r k i n s , 851 So. 2d 453 25, 2007] ___ the not ( A l a . 2002). So. S m i t h v. S t a t e , 3d ___ , ___ ( A l a . 2007). [Ms. 1060427, May After conducting A t k i n s h e a r i n g , the c i r c u i t c o u r t concluded t h a t Smith i s mentally retarded. This Court affirmed the circuit c o u r t ' s d e t e r m i n a t i o n , and t h e A l a b a m a Supreme C o u r t g r a n t e d certiorari On review. October 22, 2010, the Alabama Supreme Court again r e v e r s e d S m i t h ' s s e n t e n c e o f d e a t h and remanded t h e c a u s e f o r the circuit 1 c o u r t t o conduct A t k i n s v. V i r g i n i a , a new 536 U.S. 3 penalty-phase proceeding 304 (2002). CR-97-1258 before 2010] a jury. Ex p a r t e Smith, [Ms. 1080973, ___ So. 3d ___ , ___ ( A l a . 2 0 1 0 ) . detailing why t h e c i r c u i t court O c t o b e r 22, Specifically, correctly after determined that S m i t h i s n o t m e n t a l l y r e t a r d e d , t h e A l a b a m a Supreme C o u r t h e l d t h a t improper, p r e j u d i c i a l c o n t a c t between the v i c t i m ' s mother and the jury venire proceeding. entitled Id. at Smith t o a new p e n a l t y . I n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e A l a b a m a Supreme C o u r t ' s Ex p a r t e S m i t h , ___ , this [Ms. 1080973, O c t o b e r 22, 2010] cause i s remanded necessary On remand, action the c i r c u i t t o see t h a t court the c i r c u i t opinion i n So. 3d a t to the c i r c u i t i n s t r u c t i o n s f o r t h a t court t o conduct a t h i r d hearing. phase- court with penalty-phase shall take a l l c l e r k makes due r e t u r n t o t h i s Court a t t h e e a r l i e s t p o s s i b l e time and w i t h i n 180 days from t h e date o f t h i s opinion. REVERSED AND REMANDED WITH INSTRUCTIONS. Welch, P.J., and Kellum, J . , concur. 4

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