Nixon v. Epps

EDITH H. JONES, Circuit Judge:

This habeas appeal arises out of the January 1985 murder for hire of Virginia Tucker. John B. Nixón, Sr. was convicted of capital murder by a Rankin County, Mississippi, jury after a three-day trial. In the penalty phase of the trial the jury returned a death penalty verdict, finding that the capital offense was committed for pecuniary gain, that the murder was especially -heinous, atrocious and cruel, -and that the defendant had previously been convicted of a felony involving the use or threat of violence to a person. The conviction was affirmed on direct appeal…