Opinion ID: 199398
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Altering a Chalk on Rebuttal Summation

Text: 42 Arthur argues the district court erred in allowing the prosecutor to alter a chronology used as a chalk (or jury aid) on rebuttal summation to support the government's position as to the time of Thomas's death. Although prosecution witness Farrell testified that the shooting occurred around 10:15 p.m., the defense theory was that it occurred earlier, between 8:30 and 9:00 p.m. On summation, the prosecutor used a timeline to assist the jury in understanding the sequence of events surrounding the Thomas murder. The chalk, which was never entered into evidence, initially listed the following times: undercover purchase (8:45 p.m.); search warrant (9:00 p.m.); and time of homicide (10:17 p.m.). On rebuttal summation, the prosecutor added to the chalk that Thomas was pronounced dead at 10:46 p.m., a fact already in evidence. This was entirely proper. Cf. United States v. Morse, 491 F.2d 149, 153 n.6 (1st Cir. 1978) (use [of chalks] must be fully supported in all respects by corroborating admissible evidence). Not only was there no prejudice, but the prosecutor actually reinforced Arthur's position that 10:46 p.m. represented not the time Thomas died but rather the time he was pronounced dead.