Opinion ID: 2373626
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: Interference with attempts to speak with the victim's mother

Text: [¶ 27] The final claim of prosecutorial misconduct allegedly occurring during voir dire arises out of an incident where the appellant's trial counsel attempted to speak with the victim's mother in the hallway outside the courtroom and the prosecutor interfered with that conversation. Although it is slightly difficult to grasp exactly what the appellant is arguing in this regard, it appears that the gist of the argument is that the prosecutor conveyed to the jury that he in no way represented the victim or had a duty to her, but then attempted to interfere with the appellant's trial counsel's attempts to speak with the victim's mother. Even assuming this allegation is true, it is unclear how the prosecutor's actions violate W.R.Cr.P. 24(2)(c). The appellant fails to provide any cogent argument or cite to any legal authority regarding this argument and accordingly we will not further address the appellant's arguments as they relate to purported violations of W.R.Cr.P. 24(2)(c). Rolle v. State, 2010 WY 100, ¶ 33, 236 P.3d 259, 273 (Wyo. 2010) (quoting Forbis v. Forbis, 2009 WY 41, ¶ 10, 203 P.3d 421, 424 (Wyo.2009)) (We have `consistently refused to consider claims not supported by cogent argument or citation to pertinent legal authority.'). [¶ 28] The appellant also argues, however, that the above-described conduct violates the ABA Standards for Criminal Justice Prosecution and Defense Function, Standard 3-3.1 Investigative Function of Prosecutor (3d ed. 1993). That standard provides: d) A prosecutor should not discourage or obstruct communication between prospective witnesses and defense counsel. A prosecutor should not advise any person or cause any person to be advised to decline to give to the defense information which such person has the right to give. This issue was raised with the district court following the above-described events. It is unclear exactly what the appellant is requesting this Court to review: he offers no standard of review, nor does he make any argument relating to how the events prejudiced him. The record reveals that the district court offered a solution to the appellant's complaint, which included waiting until the victim's mother was called as a witness and then asking her if she wanted to speak with the appellant's trial counsel and, if so, whether she wanted to do it in private or with someone from the district attorney's office present. There is no indication in the record whether the appellant's trial counsel heeded the district court's advice and requested to speak with the victim's mother again when she was called as a witness. As a result, we have no means by which to determine whether the alleged misconduct was cured by the actions of the district court. Even assuming arguendo that the appellant's trial counsel was not allowed to meet with the victim's mother, the appellant makes no showing of prejudice. Consequently, the appellant's arguments must fail. See Strange, 2008 WY 132, ¶ 4, 195 P.3d at 1043 (quoting Arevalo v. State, 939 P.2d 228, 230 (Wyo.1997)) (Claims of prosecutorial misconduct are settled by reference to the entire record and hinge on whether a defendant's case has been so prejudiced as to constitute denial of a fair trial.); see also Teniente, 2007 WY 165, ¶ 10, 169 P.3d at 520 ([T]he defendant bears the burden of proving prejudice relating to claims of prosecutorial misconduct.).