Opinion ID: 196927
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Cumulative Effect

Text: 110 There are many reasons why defense counsel would choose not to make every possible objection during the government's closing argument. However, there is a cost to that strategy: most of the statements Fernandez now proffers as misconduct are reviewed under the deferential plain error standard. We have found, under that standard, that although various of the statements were indeed improper, they did not so poison the well that a new trial is mandated. Having reviewed the record and the closing arguments, we find the same is true as for their cumulative effect. Only the statements impugning the role of the defense give us real pause; nonetheless, even considering all the points where the prosecution's argument fell below the mark, we do not feel that a jury would have been improperly swayed by the argument. Nonetheless, we add that we are concerned by the sheer quantity of errors, however minor, in this case. The prosecution should weigh carefully its words when it next approaches the floor for argument. See id. at 29 (noting that a pattern of faults does suggest a failure in supervision).