State Supreme Court upholds Biloxi man’s murder conviction

The Mississippi Supreme Court has upheld the capital murder conviction and death sentence of Joseph Heard in the 2021 killing of his two-year-old stepson in Biloxi.

In a ruling released Thursday, the high court rejected Heard’s appeal, finding no reversible errors during his trial.

The court also ruled there was overwhelming evidence supporting the conviction, including eyewitness testimony, medical evidence, and text messages documenting prior abuse.

While the justices find the trial judge improperly excluded one character witness, they determined that error did not affect the outcome of the case.

The court unanimously affirmed Heard’s 2024 conviction and death sentence.