Opinion ID: 1699278
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 29

Heading: The prosecutor's improper examination of witnesses and closing arguments prejudiced defendant at both phases of trial.

Text: Defendant claims the State engaged in various acts of misconduct requiring reversal of his conviction and/or sentence. In his first claim, defendant alleges the State should not have elicited information from its DNA expert, Michelle Gaines, indicating that the defense had the opportunity, but failed to conduct its own scientific tests on various physical evidence linking him to the crime. Defendant also claims the State should not have referenced defendant's failure to present evidence contradicting the testimony the State's blood spatter expert provided during his rebuttal argument when responding to the defense closing that the State should have presented testimony from the Coroner on the issue. Defendant claims this line of inquiry and argument impermissibly shifted the burden of proving his innocence to the defense. Regardless of the merits of this claim, our examination of the record shows defendant failed to object to the State's questions or argument and waived any claim based on them. LA.CODE.CRIM. PROC. ANN. art. 841. Nevertheless, the State's examination of the witness merely pointed out that defendant had access to the physical evidence if he wanted to challenge the State's findings and did not suggest he possessed the burden of proving his innocence. Similarly, the State's comments concerning defendant's failure to cross-examine its expert blood spatter witness appears proper rebuttal to the defense argument which questioned the validity of the witness's testimony. In defendant's next claim relating to prosecutorial misconduct, he alleges the State engaged in an improper personal attack on defense counsel when he argued on rebuttal: And let me touch on a few things here, ladies and gentlemen, that Mr. Lawrence brought out in his closing. We're all familiar with the Wizard of Oz. You remember how Dorothy and the strong man and the lion and all of that were going down the yellow brick road, looking at the almighty Oz, this wonderful man or being; had all powers. And you remember when they finally go there what it was; a little old short round guy with a bald head standing behind a curtain. It was all smoke and mirrors. All smoke and mirrors. (R., vol.XV, p. 3514). Again, however, defendant lodged no objection to the guilt phase rebuttal argument and waived any claim based on it. LA.CODE CRIM. PROC. ANN. art. 841. While the State should refrain from making personal attacks on defense strategy and counsel, State v. Brumfield, 96-2667 (La.10/20/98), 737 So.2d 660, 663, cert. denied, 526 U.S. 1025, 119 S.Ct. 1267, 143 L.Ed.2d 362 (1999); see also State v. Duplessis, 457 So.2d 604, 609 (La.1984) (State's comment that a bus full of witnesses would not be enough for defense counsel because he was a `very skillful lawyer' improper), in this case, it appears the State was neither making complimentary nor disparaging comments about counsel, but rather referring to the merits of arguments set forth on defendant's behalf. This claim lacks merit. Finally, defendant claims the State improperly attacked his credibility during the penalty phase when the State referenced various statements he made to law enforcement personnel and sanity commission officers and those witnesses's testimony indicating they believed defendant had lied to them. Notwithstanding defendant's assertions in this regard, after thoroughly reviewing the record, we find the State's comments accurately described the evidence presented and hence were not improper. This argument lacks merit.