Opinion ID: 2508322
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Arguing the facts of the March 1987 incident

Text: During his closing argument, the prosecutor told the jury there was evidence defendant possessed a firearm in March 1987. But the prosecutor promptly told the jury defendant was not on trial for the March 1987 incident and that the jury could consider evidence of that incident only to show defendant had access to the kind of firearm used in the double murders. Defendant contends that the trial court should not have admitted evidence of the March 1987 incident, and that the prosecutor engaged in misconduct during closing argument by relying on the incident to persuade the jury that defendant had a criminal disposition. Evidence of the March 1987 incident was admitted without objection. Thus, the prosecutor was permitted to refer to such evidence. Contrary to defendant's argument, moreover, the prosecutor did not argue that he was a man of criminal disposition because he possessed a firearm in 1987. No misconduct occurred.