Opinion ID: 222920
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Misstatement of Drug Quantity

Text: Johnson's final argument is that in its opening statement, the prosecutor erroneously claimed that over five kilograms of cocaine were recovered from searches of Johnson's property when in fact the amount was less than one half-kilogram. Johnson claims that this planted a false impression in the jurors' minds that persisted throughout the trial to Johnson's prejudice. Therefore, Johnson argues, the district court erred in denying his timely motion for a mistrial. We review the denial of a motion for a mistrial for an abuse of discretion, because the district court is in a superior position to judge the seriousness of the incident in question, particularly as it relates to what has transpired in the course of the trial. United States v. Lauderdale, 571 F.3d 657, 660 (7th Cir.2009). To win a new trial based on a prosecutor's improper comments, a defendant must establish that the prosecutorial misconduct deprived him of his right to a fair trial. United States v. Myers, 569 F.3d 794, 798 (7th Cir.2009). This means that Johnson must establish both that the prosecutor's misstatement was improper and that it prejudiced him by so infect[ing] 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, 91 L.Ed.2d 144 (1986). The district court, which was in the best position to judge, found that the overstatement was a mistake and a minor issue. Leaving aside whether such an isolated, accidental comment as this can ever satisfy the first prong, [2] Johnson cannot establish the requisite prejudice. The misstatement was made only once during opening statement, and the prosecutor immediately corrected the statement in his next breath and made no further reference to the five kilograms. Johnson's counsel had ample opportunity to address the misstatement in his own opening or closing presentations. And whatever impression the misstatement left on the jury, the government never put forward any evidence that five kilograms had been discovered during searches. We do not assume that such a discrepancy prejudices a defendant  it could just as easily harm the government's case. See United States v. Akin, 562 F.2d 459, 466 (7th Cir.1977) (reasoning that when opening statement is not substantiated at trial the Government rather than defendant was hurt by [the] failure of proof). In light of the overall insignificance of the prosecutor's comments in its opening statement, as well as the substantial evidence against Johnson  including his own confession that he had received and sold more than five kilograms the night before  we hold that the district court did not abuse its discretion in refusing to grant a mistrial.