Futher, even assuming Moses caused the alleged trauma to his wife’s bowels, how is that sufficient to sustain a murder conviction?

After checking on the Miss. Homicide statute, there does not appear to be any evidence of a ‘depraved heart.’ Nor do any of the other qualifying elements seem to be met. At best, given the evidence, a conviction of manslaughter could be sustained. But I see absolutely no evidence that would raise the alleged homicide to murder.

Blunt trauma could have been caused by any number of things, for example, say, a car wreck!? That alone should have been cause for reasonable doubt, absent any corroborating evidence that Moses caused the trauma.

Even assuming Moses caused the trauma, theres no evidence as to why the trauma was caused. It could have been accidental, or done in the heat of passion, etc.. Absent *any* evidence on this, a reasonable jury can’t find guilt him guilty of murder.

Also curious how the ‘prior bad acts’ got into evidence. Couldn’t find the Miss. rules of evidence, but if their 404 rule is similar to most, that type of evidence shouldn’t be admissible. Although reading the opinion, I can see how the appeals court decided not to reverse for this reason; abuse of discretion is a bitch of a standard.

I note there was no appeal based on the inadmissibility of Haynie’s evidence. Did the appellate lawyer fail to raise this? That doesn’t bode well.