Opinion ID: 608725
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Representing Monetary Value of Cocaine

Text: 36 Several witnesses testified at trial as to the monetary value of cocaine. John Moore testified that the value of a kilogram of cocaine between 1983 and 1987 averaged approximately $30,000. Other witnesses testified as to how much cocaine they delivered and the amount of money they received in exchange. During closing defense counsel argued that the government witnesses had been inconsistent, noting that those who were paid for the cocaine should have received significantly more than they claimed, considering the high value of the drug. The prosecutor discredited the argument, stating that those who testified as to how much they received upon delivering cocaine to LeMaux or his associates were given only the $4,000 to $7,000 wholesale value of a kilogram as opposed to the $30,000 retail value. The government improperly attributed this wholesale value to the testimony of John Moore. 37 The prosecutor's statement was supported by the evidence, although not attributable to the source named by the government. Both the prosecutor and the court repeatedly reminded the jury that arguments were not to be considered evidence and the jurors should depend upon their own memory of the testimony. We conclude that this mistake, neutralized by the court, did not prejudice defendants' rights. See Potter, 616 F.2d at 392.