Opinion ID: 1640733
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: whether the states's closing argument was improper.

Text: ¶ 66. Howell next claims that the district attorney improperly inflamed the jury by referring to him with the nickname Chiefa during closing argument. Howell maintains that the district attorney's use of the nickname was meant to play on the jury's fears of gang violence. Howell now claims that his admitted nickname, Chiefa, had no connection to leadership in gang activity but instead referred to his non-violent nature as well as his tendency to smoke marijuana in the context of `Chiefa smokes peace pipe.' The district attorney referred to Howell as Chiefa several times in closing argument, and the defense attorney posed no objection. ¶ 67. We find that the claim of improper closing argument is procedurally barred. First, no contemporary objection was made. Second, this issue could have been raised in the direct appeal. Because it was capable of review in previous proceedings, it is barred here. Miss.Code Ann. § 99-39-21 (Rev.2007). Procedural bar notwithstanding, we find no error. There was no discussion of any gang connection at trial, and the record does not reveal that the nickname had any obvious gang connotation. Howell admits that Chiefa was his nickname. We find that the prosecutor was within reasonable closing argument in referring to Howell by his admitted nickname. As we find no objectionable error in the use of the nickname, we also find no attorney ineffectiveness on this claim.