Jackson County man denied appeal of capital murder conviction
A Jackson County man convicted of stealing a woman’s car and running her over, killing her, has been denied an appeal on a capital murder conviction.
The Mississippi Court of Appeals handed down a ruling today denying Octavius Black his appeal.
Black was sentenced to life in prison in August 2022 by a Jackson County jury in the death of 57-year-old Betty Vaughans.
On October 3, 2021, the registered nurse refused to give her keys to Black and he choked her until she passed out, left her on the ground, then ran over her when he left her house in her vehicle.
He was convicted of capital murder with the underlying felony of robbery.
Black claimed in his appeal that the jury was not given instruction to allow for a lesser charge and that his attorney was restricted in his closing arguments.
