Jatavis Williams v. State of Mississippi

Summary

The court affirmed Williams's first-degree-murder conviction and life sentence. It held that the trial court did not abuse its discretion by denying a mistrial after a victim-relative's outburst and an unrelated sexually explicit video were shown to the jury because the court took corrective measures and the jurors stated they could remain fair. It also held that the verdict was not against the overwhelming weight of the evidence because the jury was entitled to reject Williams's self-defense and imperfect-self-defense testimony and credit contrary evidence.