Opinion ID: 1988785
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Isolated Comment Harmless

Text: Coverdale's second contention on appeal is that the prosecutor's use of the phrase red herring during closing arguments deprived him of the right to a fair trial. The record reflects that the prosecutor described evidence of the 9mm gun as a red herring. Coverdale's defense counsel objected to this phrase. Defense counsel did not, however, request either a curative instruction or a mistrial. Coverdale argues that the red herring comment improperly denigrated the role of defense counsel and thus precluded him from having a fair trial. Coverdale relies primarily on two New Jersey cases to support his contention. [8] The two cases cited by Coverdale both involved repeated remarks by the prosecuting attorneys and their cumulative effect on the jury's perception of defense counsel. [9] In Coverdale's case, only one isolated remark is alleged to be improper. The record in Coverdale's case reflects that the prosecutor's reference to the 9mm casings located near the scene of the shooting as a red herring did not denigrate the role of defense counsel. There was no dispute that James was shot in the back with a .25 caliber handgun. In context, the red herring remark suggested to the jury that the 9mm casings had no relevance. We have concluded that the prosecutor's single reference to the 9mm shell casings as a red herring had no effect on Coverdale's right to a fair trial.