Opinion ID: 2589513
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Prosecutorial Mistake or Error

Text: A mistake or error by the prosecution is reviewed under the harmless beyond a reasonable doubt standard applied to prosecutorial misconduct. Thus, an appellate court examines the record to determine whether there is a reasonable possibility that the error complained of may have contributed to the defendant's conviction. See State v. St. Clair, 101 Hawai'i 280, 286, 67 P.3d 779, 785, reconsideration denied, 101 Hawai'i 420, 70 P.3d 646 (2003). Factors to consider in making this determination include: (1) the nature of the prosecutor's conduct; (2) the promptness or lack of a curative instruction; and (3) the strength or weakness of the evidence against the defendant. See State v. Wakisaka, 102 Hawai'i 504, 513, 78 P.3d 317, 326 (2003) .