Opinion ID: 1795596
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Improper Penalty Phase Comments in Closing Argument

Text: Defendant also raises numerous claimed errors in regard to the prosecutor's closing argument in the penalty phase of the trial. As was true in regard to guilt-phase closing argument, counsel failed to object to any of the arguments about which he now complains. These claims are reviewable, if at all, only for plain error. Rule 30.20; State v. Ervin, 835 S.W.2d 905, 920 (Mo. banc 1992). As this Court noted in State v. Clemons, 946 S.W.2d 206, 224 (Mo. banc 1997), [T]he `plain error' rule is to be used sparingly and may not be used to justify a review of every point that has not been otherwise preserved for appellate review. Id., citing, Ervin, 835 S.W.2d at 920. To justify plain error review defendant's claim must facially establish substantial grounds for believing that manifest injustice or a miscarriage of justice resulted from the error. Id.; Brown, 902 S.W.2d at 284; State v. Parker, 856 S.W.2d 331, 333 (Mo. banc 1993). None of the claims raised justify plain error review. The Court nonetheless ex gratia addresses each briefly. Defendant claims that the prosecutor commented on defendant's failure to testify by stating, What's the one thing we haven't heard about that Kimber Edwards has expressed to anyone, remorse. Any remorse, any sadness about the killing of Kimberly Cantrell and why haven't you heard about it? Because he hasn't obviously expressed it to anybody. But, numerous cases have approved of a prosecutor's reference to a defendant's lack of remorse because it is relevant to defendant's character, an important issue in deciding punishment. These cases reject similar claims that such references are an improper comment on the defendant's failure to testify. See, e.g., State v. Anderson, 79 S.W.3d 420, 439-40 (Mo. banc 2002); State v. Tokar, 918 S.W.2d 753, 769 (Mo. banc 1996). This Court does also in this case. Defendant also complains that the prosecutor commented in closing argument that the prosecution believed that this was a contract killing and that it was done to shut up a witness. He further contends the state argued that witnesses would be afraid to testify in the future if they felt there was a chance they'd be killed, and [i]f there was ever a case in which the death penalty was merited, it's a case in which a person has a criminal witness scheduled because the system will break down. Defendant said that this made the prosecutor an unsworn witness by suggesting he had outside, superior knowledge as to why the case merited death. But, the state had submitted as statutory aggravators that this was a contract killing and that this killing was done to prevent a witness from testifying. It was not improper for the prosecutor to argue that the evidence supported these two aggravators and supported imposition of the death penalty. Moreover, the prosecutor was not suggesting he had superior, secret information, but rather was stating that he believed killing to keep a potential witness from testifying merited death. As this Court noted in Clemons, a prosecutor may state his personal opinions on whether the death penalty should be imposed so long as that argument is fairly based on the evidence. Clemons, 946 S.W.2d at 231. Defendant argues plain error because the prosecutor referred in closing argument to defendant's failure to pay child support and said, [M]ost father's [sic] in their divorce cases don't enjoy child support, but you know they do it because it's the right thing to do and if they love their child, they really do it. This love of Erica, this child he wouldn't even support, I don't buy it. Again, a prosecutor is permitted to comment on and make reasonable inferences from the evidence. Prosecutors may also comment on the evidence and the credibility of witnesses, even to the point of belittling or discussing the improbability of specific testimony. Id. at 229, citing, State v. Weaver, 912 S.W.2d 499, 513 (Mo. banc 1995). Defendant sought mercy from the jury by presenting numerous witnesses who testified to his love for Erica and the rest of his family. It was not improper for the prosecutor to comment on the lack of credibility of the testimony about that love, particularly where the state claimed defendant killed his ex-wife to avoid paying child support for Erica. Similarly, the Court rejects defendant's argument that it was improper for the prosecutor to comment on why he believed, based on the evidence, that defendant's middle-class lifestyle was an aggravating rather than a mitigating factor, because he decided to kill his wife so he would have more money to maintain that lifestyle. This was simply a comment on the testimony, and not improper. It was up to the jury to determine whether defendant's character and lifestyle constituted mitigation.