Case Name: Edward HIGHTOWER, Appellant, v. The STATE of Florida, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1991-12-10
Citations: 592 So. 2d 689
Docket Number: No. 91-488
Parties: Edward HIGHTOWER, Appellant, v. The STATE of Florida, Appellee.
Judges: Before FERGUSON, LEVY and GERSTEN, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 592
Pages: 689–694

Head Matter:
Edward HIGHTOWER, Appellant, v. The STATE of Florida, Appellee.
No. 91-488.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Third District.
Dec. 10, 1991.
Bennett H. Brummer, Public Defender, and Robert Kalter, Asst. Public Defender, for appellant.
Robert A. Butterworth, Atty. Gen., and Marc E. Brandes, Asst. Atty. Gen., for appellee.
Before FERGUSON, LEVY and GERSTEN, JJ.

Opinion:
LEVY, Judge.
Defendant appeals his conviction for Aggravated Assault and Battery, claiming that the prosecutor committed fundamental error by improperly attacking the credibility of defense counsel.
Edward Hightower, the defendant below, approached a female victim outside a grocery store, in an apparent attempt to mug her, and struck the victim in the face. When the victim started to strike back, the defendant allegedly pulled a gun from his pants and pointed it at the victim. The defendant admitted hitting the victim, but denied using a firearm. However, the witnesses at trial testified that they saw the defendant point a gun at the victim. The defendant lived four blocks from the crime scene and was not approached by police until twenty minutes after the incident.
During the State's closing argument, the following comment was made by the prosecutor:
Now, Karen Miller is an excellent attorney. She's appointed to represent Edward Hightower. She's the Assistant Public Defender. She doesn't choose her clients and it's her job and she does a good one to confuse witnesses, to try to put words in witnesses' mouths as she did on her cross examination.
The defendant did not object to the State's closing argument, did not ask for a curative instruction, and did not ask for a mistrial.
The defendant was convicted of both Aggravated Assault as to Count I, and Battery as to Count II, and sentenced to three years in prison as to Count I, with a suspended sentence as to Count II. The defendant appeals.
The appellant contends that the prosecutor's comment implied to the jury that defense counsel was only representing the defendant because she had no choice and was forced to. According to the appellant, this improper attack upon the credibility of defense counsel deprived the defendant of a fair trial, thus constituting fundamental error and warranting reversal. Appellant claims that the error was not harmless because this was a very close case concerning the issue of whether or not a gun was used and it was impossible for the State to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that the comment in question did not affect the jury verdict. We disagree. See State v. DiGuilio, 491 So.2d 1129 (Fla.1986).
The State argues that the defendant failed to properly object to the statement and move for a mistrial and thus, absent a showing of fundamental error, this issue has not been preserved for appellate review. The State further argues that the statements made during closing argument do not constitute fundamental error. We agree.
The statements did not discuss the defendant, witnesses, or the weapon used in the crime, and did not go to the foundation or merits of the cause of action. It is clear that, in the absence of showing of fundamental error, the convictions and sentences entered below must be affirmed in view of the fact that the error was not preserved in the trial court.
We further hold that, even if the claimed error had been properly preserved in the trial court, the judgment and sentence entered in this case would still have to be affirmed. The evidence presented at trial, relating to the appellant's possession of a firearm, was overwhelming and completely uncontradicted and, therefore, clearly supports the conviction and sentence. Any error committed by the prosecutor in the closing statement was harmless. In reaching this conclusion, we note that three of the State's witnesses, the victim, the victim's daughter, and an eyewitness/neighbor, testified that the defendant possessed a firearm at the time he committed a battery on the victim. The defendant did not testify on his own behalf, and the defense rested at the close of the State's case. The following are excerpts of testimony taken from the State's witnesses during the proceedings below.
ON DIRECT TESTIMONY OF SANDRA KING (VICTIM)—
Page 141: Q: What happened?
A: He pulled the gun from up under his pants and put it to my face. So, I just back, back. He pulled a gun on me and so I'm going home to get my stuff.
Q: Were you scared when he pulled the gun in your face?
A: Yes, I was.
Q: And the kids are still there by your side?
A: Uh-huh.
Q: Let's talk about what that gun looked like. Tell us about the gun; how did you know it was a gun?
A: I know a gun when I see a gun. It was a gun.
Q: What part of it did you see?
A: I saw the whole gun, the bullets in the gun.
Page 142: Q: Was his finger on the trigger?
A: Yes, it was on the trigger.
ON DIRECT TESTIMONY OF KENIKA KING (VICTIM'S DAUGHTER)
This witness testified that she accompanied her mother to the grocery store and was present at the time of the assault.
Page 167: Q: Where did he hit her?
A: Right there, her jaw.
Q: Where is that?
A: Right there (indicating).
Q: In her face, near her mouth, by her cheek?
A: Yes. When she got ready to hit him, he pulled out a gun.
Q: When she got ready to hit him? Oh, she went to hit him?
A: No, he hit her first and when she got ready to hit him he pulled a gun.
Q: How was she going to hit him?
A: With the bottle.
Q: Did she ever hit him?
A: No.
Q: He pulled out a gun; where did he pull it out from?
A: From his pocket.
Q: Did you see it?
A: Yes.
Page 168: Q: How did you know it was a gun?
A: Because I saw the handle and I saw how it looked and how it looked.
Q: Have you seen guns before?
A: Yes.
Q: You have?
A: Yes.
Q: Can you describe it to us?
A: It was — I forget what color it was, but I think it was green-looking. I'm not sure, but I saw the gun.
Q: You're sure it was a gun?
A: Yes.
ON DIRECT TESTIMONY OF DOREA-THA RICHARDSON (EYEWITNESS/NEIGHBOR)
Page 203: Q: Now, do you know a person by the name of Sandra King?
A: I didn't know her at the time, but I know her now.
Page 205: Q: What about the lighting conditions back then?
A: The lighting was very good.
Q: Was it a clear day?
A: Yes, it was.
Q: Was it dark outside at all?
A: No, it was not dark at all.
Q: Was it getting dark; dusk?
A: No.
Page 207: Q: Did you actually see her strike him?
A: She never got a chance to strike him. He lifted the gun. I don't know where he got it from, but it was there.
Q: Now, how far away were you from this incident in car lengths?
A: It could be maybe about six cars.
Q: Do you have a clear view of what you saw?
A: Yes.
Q: And did you — you indicated that he had the gun in his other hand. Which hand did he have the gun in?
A: This hand, right hand. That's the one that he held it like this (indicating) in his hand.
Q: Okay. Now, what were exactly— or what did he do with this gun?
A: After he held it?
Q: Just when you first saw, what did he do with it?
A: He just held it in his hand and pointed it.
For all of the foregoing reasons, we find ourselves in the same position that this Court described in Williams v. State, 425 So.2d 591 (Fla. 3d DCA 1982) wherein the Court stated, at page 592, "While we therefore thoroughly disapprove of the argument, we cannot hold that it justifies reversal. The evidence . was so overwhelming that the statements must be regarded as no more than harmless impropriety".
Affirmed.
FERGUSON, J., concurs.