Nixon v. Epps

PER CURIAM: *

This habeas appeal arises out of the January 1985 murder of Virginia Tucker. John B. Nixon, 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 and found 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 by the Mississippi Supreme…