Opinion ID: 1058342
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: state's argument regarding life without parole

Text: The defendant asserts that the prosecutor, on more than one occasion, made an incorrect statement of the law to the jury. Specifically, he contends that the prosecutor repeatedly told the jurors that the mitigating factors have to outweigh the aggravating factors beyond a reasonable doubt in order to impose a sentence of life without the possibility of parole. During opening argument at the sentencing phase, the prosecutor remarked: [A]t the end, you're going to be asked to make a decision. The judge is going to instruct you that if you find that there are at least one aggravating circumstance and that there are no mitigating circumstances, you have to impose the death penalty. If you find that there are aggravating circumstances and that there are mitigating circumstances and that the aggravating circumstances outweighs, beyond a reasonable doubt, that mitigating circumstance, you impose the death penalty. If you find that those mitigating circumstances do outweigh that aggravator, but there is an aggravator there, beyond a reasonable doubt, but these mitigators outweigh it beyond a reasonable doubt, you impose life without parole. If you find that there are no aggravating circumstances at all, you impose a sentence of life in prison. Later, during closing argument, the prosecutor stated: [R]emember the taker and the giver? Is that mitigating circumstance beyond a reasonable doubt greater than those aggravators? No. Your only choice in this case, with those two aggravators, and if you find a mitigator, but a mitigator that does not outweigh those aggravators beyond a reasonable doubt, is to impose the death penalty. And, again, in rebuttal closing: [W]hat you've got to look at are those aggravators and if you feel there are mitigators there and if you feel that those mitigators outweigh those aggravators. . . . You have to find not only that there's mitigating factors to not impose the death penalty, you've got to find that those mitigators outweigh that aggravator. The proof is, beyond a reasonable doubt, they don't. At the close of argument, defense counsel requested a curative instruction from the court relating to the erroneous statement of law made by the State. The trial court denied the request, stating that any error was cured by the jury charge, which will advise the jury as to the applicable law. As asserted by the State, the defendant failed to make a contemporaneous objection to the prosecutor's comments. Failure to object to a prosecutor's alleged misconduct during closing argument waives later complaint. State v. Little, 854 S.W.2d 643, 651 (Tenn.Crim.App.1992). The failure to object to the prosecutor's statements results in waiver on appeal. State v. Thornton, 10 S.W.3d 229, 234 (Tenn.Crim.App.1999) (citing Tenn. R.App. P. 36(a)). Notwithstanding waiver, we note that Tennessee Code Annotated section 39-13-204, provides, in relevant part: If the jury unanimously determines that no statutory aggravating circumstance has been proven by the state beyond a reasonable doubt, the sentence shall be imprisonment for life.... . . . If the jury unanimously determines that a statutory aggravating circumstance or circumstances have been proven by the state beyond a reasonable doubt, but that such circumstance or circumstances have not been proven by the state to outweigh any mitigating circumstance or circumstances beyond a reasonable doubt, the jury shall, in its considered discretion, sentence the defendant either to imprisonment for life without possibility of parole or imprisonment for life. The trial judge shall instruct the jury that, in choosing between the sentences of imprisonment for life without possibility of parole and imprisonment for life, the jury shall weigh and consider the statutory aggravating circumstance or circumstances proven by the state beyond a reasonable doubt and any mitigating circumstance or circumstances.... . . . If the jury unanimously determines that: (A) At least one (1) statutory aggravating circumstance or several statutory aggravating circumstances have been proven by the state beyond a reasonable doubt; and (B) Such circumstance or circumstances have been proven by the state to outweigh any mitigating circumstances beyond a reasonable doubt; then the sentence shall be death. Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-13-204(f)(1), (2), (g)(1). The trial court instructed the jury in accordance with the statute. The jury is presumed to follow the instructions of the trial court. State v. Walker, 910 S.W.2d 381, 397 (Tenn.1995), cert. denied, 519 U.S. 826, 117 S.Ct. 88, 136 L.Ed.2d 45 (1996). Moreover, from the context of the prosecutor's comments, one can reasonably infer that the prosecutor's intent was not to misinform the jurors but merely to emphasize the proof needed to impose a sentence of death, i.e., aggravating circumstances must outweigh mitigating circumstances. We cannot conclude that the improper argument by the State affected the verdict to the defendant's prejudice. This claim is without merit.