Opinion ID: 1730477
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 32

Heading: the prosecution's closing argument concerning biblical law violated anthony carr's right to a fair trial.

Text: Carr contends that the prosecutor's Biblical references during the State's closing arguments at the sentencing phase deprived Carr of a fair trial. Defense counsel made use of Biblical references in his own closing arguments as well, which renders his position highly tenuous. As Carr failed to make a contemporaneous objection to the Biblical references, this issue is barred from review by this Court. Hansen v. State, 592 So.2d 114, 140 (Miss. 1991). However, even if the issue were not procedurally barred, there is no merit to Carr's argument. This Court has continually held that counsel is afforded broad latitude in closing argument. This latitude, set out by the Court in Nelms & Blum Co. v. Fink, 159 Miss. 372, 382-383, 131 So. 817, 820 (1930), has been referred to in the context of capital cases. In Nelms, we stated that [c]ounsel may draw upon literature, history, science, religion, and philosophy for material for his argument. Id. at 382-384. See Hansen v. State, 592 So.2d 114, 139-140 (Miss. 1991); Shell v. State, 554 So.2d 887, 899 (Miss. 1989), vacated on other grounds, 498 U.S. 1, 111 S.Ct. 313, 112 L.Ed.2d 1 (1990); Johnson v. State, 416 So.2d 383, 391 (Miss. 1982). This assignment of error is procedurally barred; alternatively, it has no merit.