Derrick Chatman v. State of Mississippi

Summary

The court held that the jury's handwritten verdicts finding Chatman "guilty" on counts one and two were not fully responsive because the jury had been instructed on both sexual battery and the lesser-included offense of gratification of lust. Although Chatman failed to object and therefore had to show plain error, the ambiguity created uncertainty about unanimity on the sexual-battery charges, requiring reversal. The court remanded for either a new trial on the sexual-battery charges or resentencing on two counts of gratification of lust, at the State's option.