Opinion ID: 608725
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Comment Upon Excluded Evidence

Text: 18 Defense counsel argued in closing that Agent Neal had coerced prosecution witnesses into lying and coached them as to how they should testify. The prosecution responded by stating that the defense presented no evidence of intimidation of witnesses and no explanation as to why federal authorities might persecute LeMaux and his associates. Defendants claim this argument was prosecutorial misconduct necessitating reversal. 19 Comment upon the lack of evidence where such evidence has been excluded at trial may be improper, especially where the court refuses to admit the evidence under Rule 403. A prosecutor should not take undue advantage of the court's ruling in arguing the failures of defense counsel. Improper prosecution argument demands reversal, however, only where the error was sufficiently gross as to prejudice the defendant and was not neutralized by the court's instructions. Flake, 746 F.2d at 542. In light of the substantial evidence presented by the defendants' associates and co-defendants, any misconduct on the part of the prosecutor in commenting upon the lack of evidence concerning Agent Neal was not sufficiently gross as to prejudice the defendants.