Opinion ID: 2162655
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Did remarks of the prosecutor constitute prejudicial error?

Text: The assistant district attorney in arguing the case to the court, this being a trial before the court, commented Yet, when he (defendant) is arrested and questioned by the officers, he refuses to make any statement. Under the circumstances, there is strong indication of a guilty mind. The defendant's attorney in his argument to the court responded, Certainly the District Attorney knows that no inference at all can be drawn from this man by not making any statement. The district attorney was wrong, defense counsel right, in assessing the significance of silence at the time of arrest. Defense counsel did not object to the comment when it was made which would have given the court an opportunity to rule on the incorrect inference. Defense counsel elected to answer the inference in rebuttal argument. He did so correctly and effectively. There is no indication that the trial court believed the prosecutor who was clearly wrong, or disbelieved the defense attorney who was clearly right.