Opinion ID: 2429694
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Allegation of Prosecutorial Misconduct

Text: This final issue arises from comments that the prosecuting attorney made to the jury during his closing arguments in the penalty phase of the trial: I would suggest to you that the murder, the crime that the Defendant did in this casehis actions represent one of civilized society's worst nightmares, a situation in which in broad light of day, in the middle of the day, in a peaceful neighborhood here in Northwest Arkansas, with a house-wife/grandmother coming home to fix her lunch, feeling totally safe in the sanctuary of home that she instead was faced with an armed and bold, calculating and ruthless criminal who saw her cross the street and decided this was a chance for some quick easy money and grabbed up his gun and drove over there and went in specifically looking for her. This wasn't one of those deals where they were trying to burglarize a house and accidentally stumbled upon somebody that's in there, or even that they came home, which is another reason to consider the seriousness of the burglary of Mike and Sharon [Haley]. What if Sharon had come home? What then? The trial judge's control of such remarks during closing arguments is discretionary and will not be reversed in the absence of an abuse of discretion. For example, in Wilson v. State, 295 Ark. 682, 751 S.W.2d 734 (1988), the prosecutor asked the jurors to impose the death penalty and to tell Ron Wilson he will never commit another murder. Wilson, 295 Ark. at 690, 751 S.W.2d at 739. The trial court refused to do anything about the remark, and this court agreed with its decision explaining that The court's ruling ... about the remark was discretionary, and in the absence of an abuse of discretion, will not be reversed. Id. We found no abuse of discretion, having determined that the request was made in the context of urging the jurors to act as a group in imposing the sentence. In context, it did not suggest that there was evidence from which it could be determined that Wilson would kill again. Wilson, 295 Ark. at 690, 751 S.W.2d at 739. This analysis applies to the facts at hand, for the prosecutor's remarks about Davis are similar to the prosecutor's statements in Wilson . Other jurisdictions have held that, in the penalty phase of a capital murder case, both parties should be given wide latitude in arguing the matter of punishment. State v. Feltrop, 803 S.W.2d 1 (Mo. banc 1991); State v. McDonald, 661 S.W.2d 497 (Mo. banc 1983). Although this court has never specifically adopted this rule, we have held that counsel should be allowed some leeway with respect to opening and closing remarks. Abraham v. State, 274 Ark. 506, 625 S.W.2d 518 (1981). The trial court has wide latitude of discretion in controlling the arguments of counsel, and its ruling in that regard will not be overturned in the absence of abuse. Cobbs v. State, 292 Ark. 188, 728 S.W.2d 957; Shaw v. State, 271 Ark. 926, 611 S.W.2d 522 (1981). We have also held that improper statements by a prosecutor in his opening argument are cured by an instruction to the jury that remarks of counsel are not evidence and, unless supported by evidence, should be disregarded. Miller v. State, 309 Ark. 117, 827 S.W.2d 149 (1992). Under the circumstances, we hold that the trial court did not abuse its discretion. Lastly, we undertake a proportionality review of all death penalty cases to insure that the sentence is not imposed in a freakish, capricious, or whimsical manner. Sheridan v. State, 313 Ark. 23, 852 S.W.2d 772 (1993); Johnson v. State, 308 Ark. 7, 823 S.W.2d 800 (1992), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 112 S.Ct. 3043, 120 L.Ed.2d 911 (1992). Here, the victim, while in her home in the middle of the day, was shot execution-style in the back of the head with a large-caliber weapon. Numerous items were taken from her home. The robbery-murder in this case is similar to the robbery-murders in Johnson v. State, 308 Ark. 7, 823 S.W.2d 800 (1992); Whitmore v. State, 296 Ark. 308, 756 S.W.2d 890 (1988); and Fretwell v. State, 289 Ark. 91, 708 S.W.2d 630 (1986) that were punished with the death penalty. The death penalty in this case was not freakishly or arbitrarily applied. Pursuant to Ark.Sup.Ct.R. 4-3(h), the record has been examined, and this review has uncovered no prejudicial errors warranting reversal. Affirmed. GLAZE, J., concurs.