Opinion ID: 1394991
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 28

Heading: Predictions of Future Violence

Text: (36) Defendant next objects to the prosecutor's assertions that if defendant was incarcerated for life he would pose a danger to other prisoners and to prison workers. [33] This argument, he contends, introduced irrelevant factors into the penalty determination. We recently held that a prosecutor's comments on a defendant's future dangerousness are within the proper bounds of argument to the jury. ( People v. Davenport (1985) 41 Cal.3d 247, 288 [221 Cal. Rptr. 794, 710 P.2d 861].) In reaching this conclusion, we distinguished People v. Murtishaw (1981) 29 Cal.3d 733, 767-768 [175 Cal. Rptr. 738, 631 P.2d 446], where expert opinion regarding projections of future violence was held to be inadmissible. In Murtishaw, our primary concern was that expert opinion on the subject of defendant's propensity to commit violence is unreliable and frequently erroneous and often carries great weight with the jury. ( Id. at pp. 767-768.) We do not believe a prosecutor's comments during closing arguments present the same potential for prejudice. Moreover, the critical question is not whether the prosecutor's comments were improper, but rather whether the comments so infected the trial with unfairness that defendant was deprived of his right to a fair trial on the issue of penalty. ( Darden v. Wainwright, supra, 477 U.S. at p. 181 [91 L.Ed.2d at p. 157, 106 S.Ct. at p. 2472].) As in Darden, the prosecutor's comments here did not manipulate or misstate the evidence, nor did [they] implicate other specific rights of the accused.... ( Id. at p. 182 [91 L.Ed.2d at pp. 157-158, 106 S.Ct. at p. 2472].) We therefore conclude that the prosecutor's statements regarding defendant's potential behavior in prison did not render the penalty trial unfair. `Permitting open and far-ranging argument at the penalty phase does not offend the United States Constitution.' ( Gregg v. Georgia, supra, 428 U.S. 153, 203-204.) ( Davenport, supra, 41 Cal.3d at p. 288.)