Opinion ID: 575863
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: bradford's trial

Text: 15 Finally, petitioner takes exception to several aspects of his trial, claiming the judge erred in admitting into evidence bloodstained clothing allegedly seized in violation of his Fourth Amendment rights; that the court's decision to prevent him from cross-examining the victim on a related civil lawsuit violated the Confrontation Clause; and that the prosecutor made improper remarks during closing argument that denied petitioner a fair trial. We reject these claims and address each in turn. 16 First, the Louisiana appellate court specifically found that Bradford was unable to show a right to privacy in the blood samples taken from his clothing and boots at the time of his arrest; the government was therefore justified in seizing them in order to prevent the destruction of evidence. See Palmer, 447 So.2d at 1164-65. That court also held that the trial judge acted properly in refusing to allow Bradford's counsel to cross-examine the victim regarding a civil suit Moores had filed against a cab company for failing to transport him immediately following the offense. Id. at 1165-66. The Confrontation Clause was not violated because the trial court retains wide latitude to impose reasonable limits on cross-examination when the defendant is inquiring into the potential bias of a prosecution witness. Delaware v. Van Arsdall, 475 U.S. 673, 679, 106 S.Ct. 1431, 1435, 89 L.Ed.2d 674 (1986). Taking Moores's testimony on balance, we do not believe the jury would have received a significantly different impression of his credibility had defense counsel been permitted to cross-examine him on this subject. Id. at 680, 106 S.Ct. at 1436. 17 Finally, petitioner asserts that the prosecutor's closing argument so infected the trial with unfairness as to make the resulting conviction a denial of due process. Darden v. Wainwright, 477 U.S. 168, 181, 106 S.Ct. 2464, 2471, 91 L.Ed.2d 144 (1986) (quoting Donnelly v. DeChristoforo, 416 U.S. 637, 641, 94 S.Ct. 1868, 1871, 40 L.Ed.2d 431 (1974)). Specifically, he contends, the prosecution opine[d] in closing argument that Bradford was a liar. This falls short of a due process violation, just as the Darden prosecutor who referred to the defendant as an animal during closing argument did not violate his rights. 477 U.S. at 179, 106 S.Ct. at 2410. As we have recently warned: We must view the prosecutor's statement in light of [Bradford's] entire trial, for 'a criminal conviction is not to be lightly overturned on the basis of a prosecutor's arguments standing alone.'  United States v. Park, 947 F.2d 130, 138 (5th Cir.1991) (quoting United States v. Young, 470 U.S. 1, 11, 105 S.Ct. 1038, 1044, 84 L.Ed.2d 1 (1985)). We agree with the magistrate's observations that while the prosecutor may have accused Bradford of lying, these comments were neither persistent nor pronounced when considered within the context of the entire closing argument, and they did not violate his substantive rights.