Opinion ID: 2508525
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Commenting on Defendant's Lack of Remorse

Text: During closing argument, the prosecutor commented briefly on defendant's lack of remorse. Defendant contends that such comment allowed the prosecutor to argue a nonstatutory aggravating factor, lack of remorse, in contravention of the death penalty statute. (See People v. Boyd (1985) 38 Cal.3d 762, 772-776, 215 Cal.Rptr. 1, 700 P.2d 782.) We have held that such comment is not misconduct when the prosecution calls to the jury's attention that the mitigating factor of remorse is not present, so long as the prosecution does not comment on defendant's failure to testify at the penalty phase. ( People v. Crittenden (1994) 9 Cal.4th 83, 147-148, 36 Cal.Rptr.2d 474, 885 P.2d 887.) In the present case, the prosecutor did not suggest lack of remorse could be used as an aggravating factor and did not comment on defendant's silence at the penalty phase. Nor could the prosecutor's argument be properly characterized as committing Davenport error, i.e., arguing lack of mitigation as an aggravating factor ( People v. Davenport (1985) 41 Cal.3d 247, 288-290, 221 Cal.Rptr. 794, 710 P.2d 861); (see Crittenden, supra, 9 Cal.4th at pp. 148-149, 36 Cal.Rptr.2d 474, 885 P.2d 887.) We therefore conclude the prosecutor did not commit misconduct in this instance.