Harden v. State

CHANDLER, Justice,

for the Court;

¶ 1. On September 18, 2008, after a jury trial, Harden was convicted of the statutory rape of his stepdaughter, L.Q.,1 pursuant to Mississippi Code Section 97-3-65(l)(b).2 On December 16, 2008, Harden was sentenced to serve twenty years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC), followed by ten years on post-release supervision, with five years reporting. See Miss.Code Ann. § 47-7-34 (Rev.2004). Harden appeals, raising five issues, including: (1) whether the trial court erred by denying his motion for a continuance to obtain a mental…