Opinion ID: 1913318
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 40

Heading: did the prosecutor make a prejudicial comment about defense counsel?

Text: ¶ 176. Holland asserts that the following statement, made by the prosecutor, was error. The prosecutor stated on rebuttal at closing argument, I heard counsel for the defense, and I certainly don't criticize them, they have a tough job. It's very tough to defend him [Holland] even against the death penalty given the facts in this case. ¶ 177. Holland argues that this statement falls under a prohibited class of prosecutorial misconduct, where a prosecutor's actions deflect the attention of the jury from the real issues in the case. See Hickson v. State, 472 So.2d 379, 384 (Miss. 1985). ¶ 178. Holland's cited cases, however, involve conduct far more egregious than any of the conduct complained about in the case at bar. Hickson involved a prosecutor's display of the severed hands of the decedent, which was unduly prejudicial since the prosecution never attempted to properly introduce them at trial. Hickson, 472 So.2d at 384. In Griffin v. State, the prosecutor directly commented on defendant's failure to testify, which is clearly reversible error. Griffin v. State, 557 So.2d 542, 552 (Miss. 1990). ¶ 179. The Fifth Circuit has reviewed a case where a prosecutor allegedly attacked defense counsel in his closing argument. United States v. Jennings, 724 F.2d 436, 444 (5th Cir.1984), cert. denied, 467 U.S. 1227, 104 S.Ct. 2682, 81 L.Ed.2d 877 (1984). The Fifth Circuit held that such statements are permissible, where made for a valid reason. Jennings, 724 F.2d at 444. Here, the prosecutor merely made his statement to assert that Holland's defense was very weak. We hold that this argument was clearly proper for the prosecutor to make, and this assignment of error is without merit.