Opinion ID: 1952548
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 19

Heading: The Who is the State Comments.

Text: During the State's closing argument, the following transpired: [BY THE ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY]: I remember Monday morning when my friend, [one of the defense attorneys], referred to [the District Attorney] and myself as the government so many times. I've been called worse, I suppose, but just who are we, the government of the State? The people that we represent. We are the people of the State of Mississippi. We represent the people of Scott County, the people of Rankin County. We, the government, are the victims of this crime, the sons, the daughters, the husband, the brothers, the sisters, the grandchildren  [BY DEFENSE COUNSEL]: If your Honor  [BY THE ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY]  who will never see  [BY DEFENSE COUNSEL]: please, I will object to this argument. I believe this has been condemned in the case of Williams v. State. BY THE COURT: Overruled. [BY THE ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY]: The people who will never see or hear from that loved one again. We are Velma Odell Noblin, who has been cheated out of a future with her family and friends, because killing her felt good. So, when you hear what the State or the government wants to do with Bobby Glen Wilcher, remind yourself about who we really are, and when you hear their pleas for his life, or when you get into the jury room, and if you think that for one minute life imprisonment is good enough for Bobby Wilcher, or someone tries to convince you that life imprisonment is good enough for Bobby Wilcher, remember who we really are, and what the Defendant did to Mrs. Noblin and her family, and ask yourself this question. It maybe sums up the whole case, in a lot shorter form than is given to you. Does any hardship that the Defendant has lived through outweigh what he has done in committing two capital murders? Does any hardship that he has lived through outweigh what is contained in these photographs? Is it possible for anyone to drink enough to outweigh what he has done? If you answer those questions honestly, there is only one possible reasonable verdict in this case, and on behalf of the people we represent, the State of Mississippi asks you to give Bobby Glen Wilcher the death penalty, just like he gave to Velma Odell Noblin. The defense responded to this comment in its closing arguments as follows: [BY DEFENSE COUNSEL]: Now the attorneys for the government, and my friend, [the Assistant District Attorney], says I shouldn't call them a government lawyer. He says he's the State's lawyer, he's the State of Mississippi's lawyer, he is for the people. Folks, I'm one of those people, too. You are one of those people, too. Bobby Wilcher is one of those people too, and he argues that the facts of what happened leave you no choice but to give death. He is wrong. You have a choice. Wilcher argues that identification of the State with the victim is reversible error. In support of his contention, Wilcher cites Fuselier v. State, 468 So.2d 45 (Miss. 1985). In that case, the victim's daughter was allowed to sit within the rail facing the jury slightly behind and to the right of the prosecution. The victim's daughter repeatedly conferred with the District Attorney and displayed emotion throughout the trial. Id. at 52-53. This Court held that the presence of the victim's daughter was prejudicial and inflammatory and denied the defendant/appellant a fair trial. Id. The case at hand can easily be distinguished from Fuselier. There is no evidence that members of the victims' families were present inside the rail at Wilcher's resentencing trial. The question is, given the broad latitude afforded attorneys during closing argument, whether the prosecutor's comments in this case introduced an element of passion, prejudice or any other arbitrary factor into this sentencing hearing. See Miss. Code Ann. § 99-19-105(3)(a). Considering the context of the statements and the great latitude given attorneys in closing argument, this Court finds that the prosecutor's who is the State comments did not interject an arbitrary factor into the proceedings.