Opinion ID: 2514739
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Shifting the Burden of Proof to the Appellant

Text: [¶ 29] The appellant contends that the prosecutor committed misconduct during rebuttal closing argument by shifting the burden of proof to the appellant by way of the following argument: The defense would like you to make some assumptions in order to justify acquitting Mr. Proffit. [Defense counsel] gets up here and makes a note of this bracelet and he says it was right next to [B.C.] on November 26th when his body was discovered. Well, what's interesting, ladies and gentlemen, is you've got a picture of a bracelet and you've got testimony by the defendant the last time he saw it was in 2003. He has no idea how [B.C.] got it, and you have no information as to where it was on the nightstand. Would it be helpful to know if it was on the top or if it was the only thing on the nightstand? That it was sitting in some pristine place like it was a valued treasured item or at the bottom of a heap of garbage that you heard a number of people described as the 15-year-old's bedroom? And when officers are executing a search in that room when, they find his dead body, it's one of the many things that's photographed. It would be helpful to know the circumstances of on the nightstand and what that means. It would be helpful to know what information, work records would provide about where Mr. Proffit was. He tells you that there's information in those records. He tells you about doctors' visits that are going to back him up and verify his story and you don't see any of that, but what you can see and what you do see, ladies and gentlemen, is that the defendant will tell the same story about how he came to have power and control over [B.C.] and it was [B.C.] who had the courage to step up and explain what happened when the defendant got that power and control. [¶ 30] There was no trial objection to this argument, so we now analyze it for plain error. The appellant's present argument is that the prosecutor improperly attempted to shift the burden to the appellant to explain the presence of his bracelet in B.C.'s room, and to produce employment and medical records to substantiate parts of his testimony. The first element of the plain error test is met in that the record is clear as to the prosecutor's argument. As to the second element of plain error, the appellant relies upon Lane v. State, 12 P.3d 1057, 1066 (Wyo.2000), for the proposition that the burden of proof rests with the State and never shifts to a defendant. Further, the appellant quotes People v. Green, 131 Mich.App. 232, 345 N.W.2d 676, 679 (1983), for the holding that a prosecutor may not imply in closing argument that defendant must prove something or present a reasonable explanation for damaging evidence because such an argument tends to shift the burden of proof. Finally, the appellant cites State v. Tosh, 278 Kan. 83, 91 P.3d 1204, 1212 (2004), where the court disapproved of the prosecutor's question in closing argument, [I]s there any evidence that it didn't happen? [¶ 31] This Court has previously held, however, that the State is within its proper bounds when a prosecutor comments in argument upon the state of the evidence, including a defendant's failure to introduce material evidence or to call logical witnesses. Fortner v. State, 843 P.2d 1139, 1147 (Wyo. 1992). Similarly, a prosecutor may point out that certain evidence is uncontroverted, or that there is no evidence on a certain point. Belden v. State, 2003 WY 89, ¶ 47, 73 P.3d 1041, 1089 (Wyo.2003). While it is not proper for a prosecutor to comment upon a defendant's exercise of his right to silence, it is not improper for a prosecutor to point out the lack of evidence to support a defendant's theory of the case. Id. [¶ 32] We cannot say in this case that the prosecutor's argument was so far outside the realm of appropriate argument as to be misconduct. The appellant testified, and the prosecutor's statements were merely comments upon that testimony. It does not violate an appellant's right to silence, or shift the burden of proof to him, merely to point out the holes or deficiencies contained in his testimony. Consequently, we cannot say that the prosecutor clearly violated an unequivocal rule of law, and we, therefore, cannot say that plain error has been shown.