Opinion ID: 2408540
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Kenley Deserved the Ultimate Punishment

Text: The prosecutor argued: This Defendant deserves the ultimate punishment. He deserves the death penalty. Now I want you to consider what evidence you have heard throughout the course of this trial.... Kenley contends that this constitutes improper personalization or expression of the prosecutor's opinion. The argument is not improper personalization. A prosecutor's statement of personal opinion or belief not drawn from the evidence, however, is improper. State v. Jackson, 499 S.W.2d 467, 471 (Mo.1973). This particular argument, though, is little more than the prosecutor's recommendation or plea that the defendant be given the death penalty and was immediately followed by a plea that the jury consider the evidence. In context, this argument was not improper. Counsel was not ineffective for failing to object.