Opinion ID: 2974320
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Improper Remarks During The Mitigation Phase

Text: Defendant next claims that the prosecutor made improper comments during its crossexamination of Bertschinger during the mitigation phase of the trial. Again, we find this claim to be without merit. First Defendant argues that the prosecutor improperly described him as a whore, but the record reveals that while the prosecutor did refer to Defendant’s homosexual prostitution, he did not use the term whore. Moreover, these remarks were in reference to Bertschinger’s testimony that Defendant admitted engaging in homosexual prostitution, and that these activities No. 03-4034 Spisak v. Mitchell Page 26 contributed to the dissolution of Defendant’s marriage. These comments were therefore not improper. It was also not improper for the prosecution to make reference to Dr. Markey’s stricken testimony where defense counsel “opened the door” to this questioning by addressing Markey’s report on direct examination. Defendant also claims that the prosecution improperly stated that Defendant “wanted to be a pimp,” but the record reveals that the question was posed to Bertschinger as part of a discussion of Defendant’s tendency to date black prostitutes and have them live in his home. Again, we do not believe that the remark was improper since it was only a passing reference and was posed as a legitimate question; but even if it was improper, we still find that any potential prejudice would have been minimal and would not have impacted the fundamental fairness of the trial. We also do not believe that Defendant was prejudiced by any of the prosecutor’s remarks during the prosecution’s closing arguments of the mitigation phase of the trial. The prosecutor’s argument was devoted to demonstrating that Defendant’s personality disorder did not outweigh his culpability for the murders he had committed, and that Defendant’s actions were voluntary and he knew what he was doing when he committed the crimes. Out of thirty-three pages of argument, Defendant points to a few isolated comments to try to establish that his due process rights were violated. Defendant points out that the prosecution accused him of fabricating testimony; of being unwilling to support his wife; characterized Defendant as having no remorse; characterized the expert testimony as insulting and being mumbo jumbo; likened Defendant to a rat who hides in the basement; commented that Defendant would not have pled not guilty by reason of insanity if two of the witnesses had not survived; and asked the jury “how many people does he have to kill before we say enough is enough.” None of these minimal, isolated remarks, even if improper, prejudiced Defendant or rendered his trial fundamentally unfair.