Justin Jamaille Thornton, Appellant v. State of Arkansas, Appellee

Summary

The court held that the circuit court lacked jurisdiction to consider the State’s post-mandate motion to have lesser-included offenses considered after the prior capital-murder conviction had been reversed and dismissed. Because the prior appellate disposition did not remand the case or authorize further proceedings, the first-degree-murder conviction and sentence were reversed and dismissed. Separate dissents maintained that the prior opinion and mandate permitted consideration of lesser-included offenses and, alternatively, that the mandate had reversed and dismissed the entire judgment.