Opinion ID: 3150731
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: and XI. Prosecutorial Misconduct

Text: ¶25. Graves alleges that he was denied a fair trial due to misconduct by the prosecutor. Graves argues that, during closing arguments, the district attorney made references to Graves being a “pedophile” and that he had the propensity to harm other children. Additionally, Graves argues that the district attorney referenced a specific jury instruction during closing arguments. However, defense counsel did not object to any statements made during closing arguments. ¶26. This Court repeatedly has held that failure to object contemporaneously at trial waives any claim of error on appeal. Howell v. State, 860 So. 2d 704, 756 (Miss. 2003) (Court held issue to be procedurally barred due to defendant’s failure to object at trial.); Williams v. 14 State, 684 So. 2d 1179, 1203 (Miss. 1996) (A contemporaneous objection to the allegedly prejudicial remarks in a prosecutor’s closing argument is required.); Walker v. State, 671 So. 2d 581, 597 (Miss. 1995) (Court has held “[i]f no contemporaneous objection is made, the error, if any, is waived.”); Lockett v. State, 517 So. 2d 1317, 1333 (Miss. 1987) (“This Court on numerous occasions has refused to consider the issue of prosecutorial misconduct where the defendant did not raise it at trial and we so refuse to do so today.”). Therefore, Graves waived the right to raise these instances of alleged prosecutorial misconduct on appeal. See Gillett v. State, 56 So. 3d 469, 520-21 (Miss. 2010).