Javondus Beasley a/k/a Javondus M. Beasley v. State of Mississippi, 362 So.3d 112

On Oct. 30–31, 2013 three people (Eldra Gibson, Ashley Taylor, Sharrod Brown) were found shot to death inside Gibson's home; all three died of gunshot wounds to the head.
The house had metal-barred windows, a nailed-shut storm/side door, and a working motion-activated front-door camera; investigators found no forced entry.
Surveillance footage showed Javondus Beasley being let in through the front door while the victims were alive, remaining ~40 minutes, and leaving later carrying a plastic bag and a bulge under his coat; no other person entered between his exit and discovery of the bodies.
Ballistic testing matched projectiles recovered at the scene and victims to the same 9mm firearm type; police later found 9mm rounds hidden in Beasley’s home.
Evidence at the scene suggested a ransacking and a laptop monitor broken in half; Beasley admitted buying marijuana at the house and leaving with marijuana and borrowed pants but denied the killings.
Procedural posture: Beasley was retried after this Court reversed his first convictions; at the second trial a jury convicted him of capital murder (underlying robbery) and two counts of second-degree murder; the Court of Appeals affirmed.

Issue	Plaintiff's Argument	Defendant's Argument	Held
Sufficiency of the evidence	Beasley: State relied on circumstantial evidence only; missing SD files, no DNA/fingerprints, no direct proof he fired the shots	State: Video places Beasley inside while victims were alive; only usable entry was front door; matching ammunition; scene ransacked; he left with items and gate open	Affirmed — viewed in State's favor a rational juror could find guilt beyond a reasonable doubt for capital murder (robbery) and second-degree murder
Weight of the evidence	Beasley: Verdict is against the overwhelming weight; missing/mishandled SD files create reasonable doubt	State: Conflicting evidence and credibility are for the jury; expert testified SD card was not altered; circumstantial evidence sufficient	Affirmed — no abuse of discretion; not so contrary to the overwhelming weight as to sanction injustice
Weathersby rule / Ineffective assistance	Beasley: His testimony should be accepted under Weathersby or counsel ineffective for not requesting Weathersby instruction	State: Beasley was not an eyewitness to the murders; Weathersby inapplicable and the point was not preserved	Affirmed — Weathersby does not apply; counsel not deficient for failing to request it; claim procedurally barred if not raised earlier

Weathersby v. State, 147 So. 481 (Miss. 1933) (Weathersby rule: where defendant is sole eyewitness, his reasonable version must be accepted unless materially contradicted)
Batiste v. State, 121 So. 3d 808 (Miss. 2013) (one-continuous-transaction/res gestae rule for nexus between killing and underlying felony)
Nevels v. State, 325 So. 3d 627 (Miss. 2021) (circumstantial- and direct-evidence instruction guidance; circumstantial evidence carries same weight)
Campbell v. State, 798 So. 2d 524 (Miss. 2001) (direct evidence unnecessary where sufficient circumstantial evidence proves guilt)
Cardwell v. State, 461 So. 2d 754 (Miss. 1984) (circumstantial evidence entitled to same weight and effect as direct evidence)
Fleming v. State, 732 So. 2d 172 (Miss. 1999) (standard for appellate review of weight-of-evidence claims)