Opinion ID: 1866240
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: Did the lower court err in overruling objections to parts of the closing argument of the prosecution?

Text: In the defense attorney's argument, Honorable James Bell made the following statement: Keep in mind this. That there is a co-defendant here who received what amounts to a five-year sentence and ask yourself is it fair if the man wasn't holding the gun. He said that they talked about killing the man the day before. Ask yourself is it fair for him to get five years and Connie Ray Evans get death. The district attorney, in answer, made the following statement: You can sentence the defendant to life imprisonment but that's your sentence ... that's just your sentence, ... . The appellant argues that the statement by the district attorney was an insinuation that, if the jury fixed the sentence at life, appellant would not serve life in the penitentiary. In our opinion, the argument of the district attorney may be interpreted in whatever manner the hearer wishes to interpret same. It does not say what appellant's counsel interprets it to say. If the argument was improper, then it could be said that the appellant's attorney provoked the comment in response to his argument. We are of the opinion that the district attorney's statement does not constitute prejudicial or reversible error.