CLAY COUNTY – In a 7-3 decision Tuesday, the Mississippi Court of Appeals upheld the 2023 Clay County second-degree murder conviction of Octavius Collins despite a scathing dissent arguing his defense attorney was constitutionally ineffective. Collins was at Windale Apartments on Nov. 25, 2020, with his girlfriend, Tracy Roberson, and her brother, James Roberson. At about 10 p.m. Tracy went to bed, and about three hours later, Collins shot and killed James Roberson. At that point, Collins shot James. On direct examination, Collins testified that after he fired the first shot, James “didn’t do anything,” prompting the second shot.