4/2/2024 – Hand Down List and Published Opinions (COA)
Mark Hand v. State of Mississippi – Mark Hand was convicted of one count of kidnapping and one count of child exploitation. On appeal, he claimed the jury’s verdicts went against the overwhelming weight of the evidence. The court noting that the child was taken when Hand had previously been told that he did not have permission to see the child supported the conviction of kidnapping. Likewise, the Court noted that evidence of deleted child pornography that had previously been on the phone supported the guilty verdict on child exploitation. A forensic examiner testified that Hand was the primary user of the phone during the time the photos were taken. Other photos on the phone to include a copy of Hand’s social security card supported Hand being the primary user. As a result, the COA found that the evidence supported the jury’s verdicts and affirmed the convictions.