Opinion ID: 4237534
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Misstating the evidence

Text: ¶101 Hulsey argues that the prosecution misstated the law by stating that “knowingly” was a lesser standard of proof than “intending.” This objection was sustained, and the trial judge stated, “Let’s not call it lesser. Let’s call it different.” Any misstatement was therefore cured. ¶102 Hulsey claims that the prosecutor misstated the evidence by arguing that the recording of Officer Goitia’s initial report stated that he ran into the middle of the street and began firing. There were three separate accounts at issue in this portion of the argument. Here, the prosecutor was “urg[ing] the jury to draw reasonable inferences from the evidence.” State v. Bible, 175 Ariz. 549, 602 (1993). The trial court correctly overruled the objection and stated that the “jury can decide who’s correct.” ¶103 Hulsey additionally argues that the prosecutor misstated evidence by arguing that the experts indicated that the .40-caliber bullet was not going to fragment. Hulsey is correct that the experts stated that both bullets could fragment, but testimony showed that the .40-caliber bullet was designed not to fragment, which differed specifically from the .357caliber bullet from Hulsey’s gun. Here, because the testimony showed that the chances of the .357-caliber bullet not fragmenting were “exceptions,” the prosecutor’s argument was not a misstatement of the evidence constituting misconduct. See id. (prosecutor can urge jury to draw reasonable inferences).