Opinion ID: 1110208
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Bolstering Witness Credibility

Text: Pagan argues the trial court erred in denying his motion for a mistrial based on the prosecutor's closing argument. He contends the prosecutor improperly bolstered the credibility of Latasha Jones by referring to the terror and horror she experienced and using that fact to excuse her inability to estimate the height of her attackers. We reject Pagan's argument and find that the prosecutor's comments during closing were in direct response to argument made by the defense. During defense counsel's closing argument an attempt was made to put at issue the descriptions of the murderers made by the surviving victim, Latasha Jones. Counsel was trying to say the descriptions more closely matched other suspects in the case and were in direct contrast to the persons on trial. Latasha Jones testified that she was scared during the time that the burglary, robbery, and murders were being perpetrated. She said she did not get a really good look at her attackers and said she was not good at estimating heights and weights. In response to defense counsel's comments on this testimony, the prosecutor made the comments Pagan claims as error. These statements were, however, a fair statement of the evidence produced during the trial and fair rebuttal of the defense closing argument. See Hamilton v. State, 703 So.2d 1038 (Fla.1997) (finding prosecutorial comment during closing argument fair comment when based on evidence presented at trial). Pagan has failed to demonstrate that the trial court abused its discretion in failing to grant the motion for mistrial.