Opinion ID: 764127
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: conclusion

Text: 107 We are compelled to reverse the judgment of conviction in this case because the prosecutor committed misconduct in attempting to destroy Sanchez's credibility and in his argument to the jury. To obtain a conviction, the Government had the burden of persuading the jury that Sanchez did not tell the truth when he testified that Denton did not tell him he was a fugitive. In his effort to persuade the jury that Denton testified truthfully that he told Sanchez that Denton and Dana Jo Thompson had fled to avoid punishment for their crimes, the prosecutor relied on inadmissible hearsay and disclosed to the jury that Mrs. Sanchez had exercised her privilege not to testify against her husband as a prosecution witness. The prosecutor also improperly vouched for his witnesses in his argument to the jury, and told the jury it had a duty to convict. 108 The cumulative effect of these errors, when viewed in the context of the entire trial, compels a reversal in this case. We are persuaded that it is more probable than not that the prosecutor's misconduct materially affected the verdict. See United States v. Christophe, 833 F.2d 1296, 1301 (9th Cir.1987) ([R]eversal is warranted only if it is more probable than not that the [prosecutorial misconduct] materially affected the verdict.). 109 REVERSED AND REMANDED.