Opinion ID: 2624540
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: Appeal to the Jury's Emotions

Text: Brinklow points to several comments made by the prosecutor in closing argument that he believes were designed to appeal to the jury's emotions and thus bring about a decision that was not based upon the evidence. See State v. Duke, 256 Kan. 703, 719-20, 887 P.2d 110 (1994) (prosecutor should not use statements intended to inflame the passions or prejudices of the jury). The Court of Appeals found that all of the statements, except one, was within the wide latitude given to the State to comment on the evidence. Brinklow, slip op. at 19. We agree. The statement that gave the Court of Appeals pause was as follows: This family, there may have been a little more conflict and we're not denying there was conflict. We're not denying there was yelling. We're not denying any of that. What we're denying is that any of that entitles anybody to take the childhood of [A.C.] and that's what happened. It's that's what happens when these crimes are committed. Slip op. at 17. Previously, this court has held that the admission of irrelevant evidence regarding the effect of a crime on the victim or the victim's family is error. See State v. Donesay, 265 Kan. 60, 88, 959 P.2d 862 (1998); see also State v. Henry, 273 Kan. 608, 641, 44 P.3d 466 (2002) (holding the reference to mother's grief was designed to inflame the passions of the jury, denying a fair trial). Likewise, arguing for a conviction to give the victim justice is prosecutorial misconduct. See State v. Nguyen, 285 Kan. 418, 425, 172 P.3d 1165 (2007) (citing State v. McCorkendale, 267 Kan. 263, 285-86, 979 P.2d 1239 [1999]). However, the Court of Appeals noted that the comment was isolated and fleeting. It opined that Brinklow had failed to establish the second prong of the prosecutorial misconduct test. Again, we concur when viewing the error on a stand-alone basis.