Opinion ID: 1831577
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Comment on Walker's Failure to Testify.

Text: ¶ 54. The heading to Walker's first claim under the prosecutorial misconduct section is somewhat misleading. The heading states the claim regards a comment on the failure to testify. However, he never mentions a comment on the failure to testify in the argument under this subsection. Instead, Walker discussed the prosecutor's comments regarding his unsworn statements of remorse at the conclusion of the sentencing phase of the trial. In any event, the underlying substance of this claim was fully explored by the Court on direct appeal and found to be without merit. See Walker, 671 So.2d at 614-16. Since the underlying issue is without merit, there is no support for a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel as Walker cannot show any prejudice. Walker must show both deficient performance and actual prejudice in order to sustain a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel. ¶ 55. It has long been the precedent of this Court to allow a defendant to make an unsworn statement at the conclusion of the sentence phase of a capital sentencing trial. However, making such a statement is not without peril to the defendant. If the defendant did not testify at the guilt phase or sentence phase and chooses to make unsworn statements or arguments that go outside the evidence presented, he makes a partial waiver of the constitutional privilege against self-incrimination and the prohibition against a prosecutor from commenting on his failure to take the stand. See Duplantis v. State, 644 So.2d 1235, 1251 (Miss.1994); Bevill v. State, 556 So.2d 699, 710-11 (Miss.1990); Pinkney v. State, 538 So.2d 329, 358 (Miss. 1988); Jones v. State, 381 So.2d 983, 993-94 (Miss.1980). Thus, as the Court found, after making his statements regarding remorse, Walker cannot be heard to complain that the State made an argument in rebuttal of his assertions of remorse. ¶ 56. Walker is entitled to no relief on this claim of ineffective assistance of counsel as he has failed to demonstrate both deficient performance and prejudice. He has not shown that there is a reasonable probability the result would have been different absent the failure of counsel to object to the prosecutor's comments. Walker has failed to sustain this claim of ineffective assistance of counsel.