Opinion ID: 1277687
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Prosecution's Alleged Comment on Defendant's Lack of Remorse

Text: During closing argument, the prosecution recounted testimony of the rape and sodomy of Jaunell T., recalling that defendant attempted to interrupt the testimony out of supposed concerned for upsetting the witness. The prosecutor stated: Well I almost choked on that one. Shortly thereafter, the prosecutor stated in reference to this incident: This is a true sociopath, one who puts his feelings over all else. The bottom line is David Moochie Welch, I'm first. Defendant interprets these remarks as a general prosecutorial comment on lack of remorse, which he claims violates his Eighth Amendment rights to a reliable penalty determination. He also claims a violation of his Fifth Amendment rights, because the remarks implicitly penalized defendant for failing to testify during the penalty phase. (See Brooks v. Tennessee (1972) 406 U.S. 605, 610, 92 S.Ct. 1891, 32 L.Ed.2d 358.) We conclude that the prosecutor did not commit misconduct. He was merely commenting on the sodomy and rape incident, as well as numerous other incidents introduced into evidence, which showed defendant's disregard for others. Such remarks were within the bounds of the wide latitude given to prosecutors during closing argument. ( People v. Williams (1997) 16 Cal.4th 153, 221, 66 Cal.Rptr.2d 123, 940 P.2d 710.) Moreover, the prosecutor never suggested that lack of remorse was an independent aggravating factor. (See People v. Fierro (1991) 1 Cal.4th 173, 224, 3 Cal.Rptr.2d 426, 821 P.2d 1302.) Nor did the prosecutor suggest that the jury should consider the fact that defendant did not testify at the penalty phase. ( People v. Hardy (1992) 2 Cal.4th 86, 209, 5 Cal.Rptr.2d 796, 825 P.2d 781.) We conclude that the prosecutor did not commit misconduct through the above remarks, and that defendant's Fifth and Eighth Amendment rights were not violated.