Hill v. Mississippi
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Jeffrey Hill was indicted by a grand jury of possession of a firearm on educational property (the campus of Mississippi State University). In two jury trials, Hill represented himself with the assistance and advice of court-appointed counsel. Hill's first trial resulted in a hung jury. Hill was found guilty of the indicted offense in his second trial and was sentenced to three years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) and ordered to pay a fine. The trial court denied Hill's post-trial motion for a new trial or, in the alternative, judgment notwithstanding the verdict (JNOV). On appeal to the Supreme Court, Hill challenged his conviction, arguing: (1) his right to counsel and a fair trial under the Sixth Amendment was violated when the trial court refused to allow Hill's court-appointed counsel to withdraw; and (2) the trial court erred when it failed to grant Hill's motion for a new trial on the ground that the verdict was against the overwhelming weight of the evidence. Finding error with regard to the first issue, the Supreme Court reversed Hill’s conviction and remanded the case to the trial court for a new trial. The Court declined to address the second issue.
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